Techdirt Podcast Episode 77: The Link Between Credit And Surveillance

from the cash-and-data dept

Both surveillance and the digitization of money are heavily-discussed topics, but the intersection between the two often goes overlooked. Historically, credit agencies have been trailblazers in the world of surveillance, and today we face the fact that the government can use payment providers and other financial tools as a means of enforcing its wishes. On this week's episode, we're joined by lawyer and writer Sarah Jeong, who recently wrote a four-part series on the subject, to discuss the past and future of credit, money, surveillance and the way they work together.

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Filed Under: blockchain, credit, money, podcast, privacy, sarah jeong, surveillance

Techdirt Podcast Episode 76: Tech Policy Goes Local

from the change-of-venue dept

The conversation around tech policy has traditionally happened at the federal level, but more recently we've seen a change in that trend, and some of the most interesting experiments — both good and bad — have started happening in state and municipal arenas. This week, we're joined by Tech:NYC Executive Director Julie Samuels to discuss why this is happening and what it means.

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Filed Under: podcast, regional, tech policy, techdirt podcast

Techdirt Podcast Episode 74: Why Is Tesla So Successful?

from the no-single-answer dept

Consumers looking for an electric car have several options to consider, but the buzz and excitement around Tesla continues to dwarf everything else. It's hardly unfounded, but the scale of the company's success is staggering, and there's no single reason for it. This week, we discuss that simple question: just why is Tesla so successful?

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Filed Under: electric cards, podcast, techdirt podcast
Companies: tesla

Techdirt Podcast Episode 73: Is There Enough Demand For The On Demand Economy?

from the getting-the-gig dept

The "gig economy" of on-demand peer-to-peer services like Uber has been gaining traction, but not every company is faring so well. In some areas, the rush of entrants has outstripped demand and left on-demand providers struggling to stay afloat. This week we discuss what happens when there's not enough demand for an on-demand platform, and what it might mean for the sector as a whole.

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Filed Under: gig economy, innovation, on demand economy, podcast

Techdirt Podcast Episode 72: The Tough Choices Platforms Make

from the balancing-act dept

Back in March, Mike moderated a panel at RightsCon on the subject of intermediary liability and the delicate balancing act that platform providers have to play on that front, with lawyers from Meetup, Change.org, and Medium. This week, in lieu of a regular podcast episode we've got a recording of that discussion, which delves deeply into some of the difficult choices companies like this have to make.

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Filed Under: intermediary liability, podcast
Companies: change.org, medium, meetup

Podcast Episode 71: Should Internet Companies Sway Elections?

from the and-how? dept

Recently, some Facebook staffers raised an interesting question: should the social media giant employ its significant power to stem the rise of Donald Trump? This week, we discuss that notion and the broader question: should the internet companies that influence so many aspects of our communication and information gathering use their position to pursue political goals?

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Filed Under: elections, influence, podcast, politics
Companies: facebook, google

Techdirt Podcast Episode 69: Free Culture And Aaron Swartz (Part Two)

from the the-conversation-continues dept

Last week we were joined by Justin Peters, author of the new book The Idealist all about Aaron Swartz, free culture and digital activism. The first half of the discussion focused on that broader context, and this week we continue with a closer look at Aaron himself.

Filed Under: aaron swartz, copyright, free culture, justin peters, podcast

Techdirt Podcast Episode 68: Free Culture And Aaron Swartz (Part One)

from the looking-back-(and-forwards) dept

Anyone even remotely interested in free culture, the internet and copyright surely knows the name Aaron Swartz — but only some truly understand what made him tick, and why he was considered so special and important in that world. This week and next, we're joined by Justin Peters, author of The Idealist, a new book that takes a close look at Aaron himself as well as the internet culture that gave rise to his attitudes and activism, which is the focus of this first half of the discussion.

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Filed Under: aaron swartz, copyright, free culture, justin peters, podcast

Techdirt Podcast Episode 67: The Great Encryption Debate: Should There Be Back Doors?

from the guess-which-side-we're-on dept

Anyone who reads Techdirt knows our opinion on encryption: stronger is better, and giving the government (or anyone else) a back door is a dangerous idea. We've decried a lot of the stupid arguments that we've heard in favor of back doors — usually coming from technologically clueless politicians and law enforcement officers — but that doesn't mean we aren't open to considering some smart ones. This week, we've invited Albert Wenger (who you may recall from a discussion about basic income way back in Episode 16) to share his pro-backdoor position and engage in some friendly debate.

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Filed Under: albert wenger, encryption, podcast, privacy

Techdirt Podcast Episode 66: Why Are There So Many Messaging Companies?

from the the-medium-of-the-message dept

If you want to send someone a message online today, you've got a hell of a lot of options. Far from the erstwhile IM dominance of ICQ, today there are messaging platforms of every shape and size, a blurring of the lines between messaging and social media, and messaging components incorporated into almost everything. This week, we ask a simple question: why so many, and what are they all for?

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Filed Under: messaging, podcast, social media