Techdirt Podcast Episode 283: Debating Section 230, With WIRED's Gilad Edelman

from the it-had-to-happen dept

It's no secret that we were not at all impressed with WIRED's recent cover story about Section 230. The resulting conversation sparked a Twitter debate with the story's author, Gilad Edelman, and we thought... why not bring it to the podcast? So on this week's episode, Gilad joins Mike to discuss and debate the story, our response, and Section 230.

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Filed Under: content moderation, gilad edelman, podcast, policy, section 230, social media
Companies: wired


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 2:08pm

    I would be happy to listen to the Techdirt podcast... if SoundCloud allowed me to download the file without having to sign in. I'd be even happier if SoundCloud allowed me to download it without having to enable JavaScript.

    I don't use an apple product, so the itunes link is non-viable (and similarly, would require an account to download).

    And either I'm not sufficiently technically literate, or an RSS feed is not by itself going to give me the .mp3 files.

    Sorry. Now, if you hosted the content somewhere yourselves...

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    • identicon
      Lt. Nitpicker, 18 May 2021 @ 2:36pm

      Re: Downloading the Techdirt podcast without Javascript

      A RSS feed is just a XML file (In other words, a text file) and you can easily open it in your favorite text editor, find this episode's title, and then find the enclosure tag (It'll will be before the closing [</item>] tag, but after the title tag) with the MP3 link, which you can download.

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      • identicon
        Lt. Nitpicker, 18 May 2021 @ 2:44pm

        Re: Re: Downloading the Techdirt podcast without Javascript

        Also, the part starting with feeds.soundcloud.com is the original link, if you want to avoid going through the podtrac link.

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        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 6:20pm

          Re: Re: Re: Downloading the Techdirt podcast without Javascript

          Thanks beyond thanks, good sir. Given the source URL, I could avoid all the trials and tribulations I had mentioned.

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    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 3:18pm

      Re:

      That's odd, Soundcloud's never required me to log in to download anything, I just click the download icon and it immediately downloads the mp3 to my desktop.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 3:20pm

        Re: Re:

        Which is useful, as I generally avoid sites which mandate any kind of login.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      drue (profile), 18 May 2021 @ 3:36pm

      Re:

      You should be able to subscribe to it on any podcast player, PlayerFM is currently my app of choice.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 18 May 2021 @ 4:11pm

      Re:

      I would be happy to listen to the Techdirt podcast... if SoundCloud allowed me to download the file without having to sign in.

      I am not signed into SoundCloud, and I just clicked directly on the "download" button above, and it immediately downloaded the MP3 file. So not sure why you're seeing different behavior. Can you try to reload the page and try again?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 8:51pm

        Re: Re: probably JAVASCRIPT not enabled

        Getting so none of the marvels of teh internets works unless allow yourself to be uniquely ID'd and tracked, forever.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 6:23pm

        Re: Re:

        Thanks to both you and Mike.

        I was, though, presented with a "login with one of these options" pane when I went to SoundCloud. It may well have been my selective permissions (and lack thereof) for javascript that caused the behavior I observed.

        With the provided method of getting a direct link from the RSS link, I seem to be good.

        Thanks again!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 5:11pm

    I applaud the entire help brigade.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 6:26pm

      Re:

      I am surprised that Koby has not weighed in with some untoward comment. But I am grateful for the help I have been given.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2021 @ 7:31pm

    Yay! Having finally listened to the podcast...

    If it is not in the frame, it doesn't exist.
    -- F.W. Murnau, Shadow of the Vampire

    I believe Mr Edelman was entirely too dismissive of the comment, "It's not in the language of the bill."

    While judges will occasionally look beyond the direct language of the law, from what I have seen, this is by far the exception rather than the rule. Witness the vast number of CFAA claims that prosecutors have gotten away with. Witness cases decided by the punctuation in laws, for heaven's sake.

    The law is very much a set of rules like programming. Anything you don't consider in setting up the rules (laws) is going to come back to bite you. And the usual answer (that I've seen) to "this is what congress really meant" is "they make the laws, they can change it to read exactly that way."

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 May 2021 @ 6:43am

      Re:

      Edelman is apparently wholly unaware of the existence of Federalist Society judges.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Samuel Abram (profile), 19 May 2021 @ 1:36pm

    Having listened to the podcast…

    Having listened to the podcast, I got the feeling that Edelman put up a good fight but Mike Masnick was able to shoot down his points in a smart way. For instance, by bringing up the DMCA as an example of what a world with a weakened or nonexistent §230 would look like.

    While I don't agree with Mr. Masnick on everything, I do not want to get into a debate with him, because he'd probably win.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave Soenstine, 19 May 2021 @ 4:36pm

    Edelman argues like a dumbass

    My favorite arguments

    (Paraphrased)

    1.
    The text of the law says accepting payment to host content means you lose 230 immunity. But it only applies to advertising, 'cause that's what the author said on TV. It doesn't matter what the actual text says; that's not how laws work.

    2.
    Well Canada...

    What a DUMBASS!

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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