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Techdirt

Techdirt
Social Media
Twitter
Generative AI
Trust and Safety
Artificial Intelligence
Design Code
Bluesky
Elon Musk
User Engagement
Blue Sky
AI Regulation
Content Moderation
Parental Controls
Civic Integrity
Decentralization
Data Portability
Character Limit
Parag Agrawal
Moderator Mayhem
Trust and Safety Tycoon

The Techdirt Podcast, hosted by Michael Masnick.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes440Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Techdirt

Latest Episodes

We've written a lot about how AI can empower users when employed the right way, but how this is difficult when a few giant tech firms control the technology. One company that is trying to move in a different direction is DuckDuckGo with its Duck.ai o... more

Last year, Renée DiResta joined us on an episode of the podcast to talk about her book, Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality, all about the people who have crafted a massive fictional narrative about the state of social media and g... more

Last week, we published three separate posts that looked at the FTC's recent settlement with Aylo, the parent company of multiple adult websites including, most famously, Pornhub. Those posts, written by Stanford HAI policy fellow Riana Pfefferkorn, ... more

In what feels like something of a throwback to much earlier days of Techdirt, the Supreme Court is getting into the weeds of the DMCA. Cox v. Sony is a case centered around questions of repeat infringers and intermediary liability, and we've submitte... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Renée DiResta
Researcher and expert on misinformation and online content moderation
Stanford Internet Observatory
Episode: The Fictional Censorship Cinematic Universe
Cathy Gellis
Legal expert with a focus on copyright law and First Amendment issues; contributor to Techdirt.
Copia Institute
Episode: Copyright And The First Amendment Collide At The Supreme Court
Rudy Fraser
Founder of Blacksky
Blacksky
Episode: Blacksky Demonstrates The Promise Of Open Social Media Protocols
Nora Benavidez
Director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights at Free Press
Free Press
Episode: The Media Capitulation Index
Tim Karr
Senior Director of Strategy and Comms at Free Press
Free Press
Episode: The Media Capitulation Index
Ben Collins
A journalist focusing on misinformation, recently became the CEO of The Onion.
The Onion
Episode: The Political Power Of Mockery
Christian Dawson
Leader of the Internet Infrastructure Coalition
Internet Infrastructure Coalition
Episode: The Fracturing Internet
Henry Farrell
Johns Hopkins International Affairs Professor and expert on democracy and the Internet.
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Blitzscaling For Tyrants
Ryan Mac
Journalist for the New York Times, co-author of "Character Limit"
The New York Times
Episode: The Elonification Of Government

Host

Mike Masnick
Host of the podcast, with a deep focus on technology policy and its intersection with law and society.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 104 ratings
  • Love it!

    It’s obvious Mike puts extraordinary effort in covering salient topics and finding guests that are authentic and truly care about being a positive force in this space - the insights they bring to bear are still mind-blowing every. single. time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan1777999877
    United States2 years ago
  • Literally does not understand tech or the law

    Opines CONSTANTLY on the first amendment, understands nothing of how that works. Doesn’t understand how IP law works, nor CDA 230. Worthless site and worthless commenters.

    Generally a politics blog pretending to be tech related.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sir_Prometheus.
    United States3 years ago
  • People that don't know tech, attempt to talk about tech. Painful to listen to.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Brad
    3 years ago
  • Literally does not understand tech or the law

    Opines CONSTANTLY on the first amendment, understands nothing of how that works. Doesn’t understand how IP law works, nor CDA 230.

    Worthless site and worthless commenters.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sir_Prometheus.
    United States3 years ago
  • Good niche podcast

    Episodes either go really deep into a specific topic or introduce a niche subgenre of tech policy. Mike seems weirdly uncomfortable with hosting at times, but he is pretty thoughtful.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jarnold palmer
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners express frustration with inconsistent audio quality and off-topic discussions.
The podcast is recognized for its thoughtful coverage of complex subjects like copyright law and internet governance.
There is a common sentiment around the necessity for more activists and policymakers to engage with the insights provided in each episode.
Listeners appreciate the deep dives into niche topics and the authentic guest perspectives brought onto the show.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#77
Norway/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#110
Belgium/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#120
Finland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#173
New Zealand/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#237
Denmark/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#239
Austria/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Fictional Censorship Cinematic Universe
Q: Can we start with just what is your take on what happened last week and what Jordan said?
Renée DiResta explains that she shares a similar view with Masnick, acknowledging how the narrative would play out in light of the Google letter and Jim Jordan's interpretation.
The Eternal September
Q: How do you view the balance of power in decentralized systems like BlueSky?
Decentralization allows users to have more control and creates incentives for platforms to maintain user trust and engagement.
The Eternal September
Q: What led to your interest in decentralization?
After seeing how the internet evolved from a decentralized to a centralized structure, I sought ways to bring back user empowerment.
Blacksky Demonstrates The Promise Of Open Social Media Protocols
Q: How did you get people using the moderation service?
We didn't necessarily promote things; instead, the community organically worded out features and tweaked how they wanted things to function.
Blacksky Demonstrates The Promise Of Open Social Media Protocols
Q: Can you just explain what is Blacksky?
Blacksky is both a community and a company that builds tools for that community and others, focusing on algorithmic choice and community governance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Techdirt

What is Techdirt about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast offers a critical examination of the intersections between technology, law, and societal implications, often exploring topics related to free speech, copyright law, and the evolving digital landscape. Appearing episodes frequently engage with industry experts, from legal scholars to technology innovators, discussing issues surrounding internet governance, social media decentralization, and the accountability of corporations in the digital realm. Each discussion is characterized by thoughtful insights, a depth of knowledge, and a commitment to fostering user agency and ethical standards in technology use.

Listeners will find a rich array of topics, from the complexities of intermediary liability in copyright law to the implica... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Techdirt?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Techdirt:

1. Ctrl-Alt-Speech
2. Rational Security
3. The Lawfare Podcast
4. The Josh Marshall Podcast
5. Serious Trouble

How many episodes of Techdirt are there?

Techdirt launched 11 years ago and published 440 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Techdirt?

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What guests have appeared on Techdirt?

Recent guests on Techdirt include:

1. Renée DiResta
2. Cathy Gellis
3. Rudy Fraser
4. Nora Benavidez
5. Tim Karr
6. Ben Collins
7. Christian Dawson
8. Henry Farrell

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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