Ctrl-Alt-Speech
- Episodes
- 130
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 5, 2026
About the podcast
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly news podcast co-created by Techdirt’s Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation’s Ben Whitelaw. Each episode looks at the latest news in online speech, covering issues regarding trust & safety, content moderation, regulation, court rulings, new services & technology, and more.
The podcast regularly features expert guests with experience in the trust & safety/online speech worlds, discussing the ins and outs of the news that week and what it may mean for the industry. Each episode takes a deep dive into one or two key stories, and includes a quicker roundup of other important news. It's a must-listen for trust & safety professionals, and anyone interested in issues surrounding online speech.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring Ctrl-Alt-Speech and joining us for a sponsored interview, visit ctrlaltspeech.com for more information.
Contributors
Episodes 130
Teaser: Mike & Ben Review The Social Reckoning
In this special bonus episode for our Patreon supporters, Mike and Ben share their reactions to The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s much anticipated (but it seems not much loved) followup to his acclaimed 2010 …
Show notes
In this special bonus episode for our Patreon supporters, Mike and Ben share their reactions to The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s much anticipated (but it seems not much loved) followup to his acclaimed 2010 movie The Social Network.
This free teaser covers the beginning of their conversation, but there’s much more in the full episode. Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter on Patreon to hear the whole thing, and to get extended episodes of the regular podcast every Thursday.
Also be sure to check out our recent regular episode with guest co-host Jeff Horwitz, whose reporting on the Facebook Files was a driving force of the story, where he shares some of his own reactions to the movie and being portrayed by Jeremy Allen White.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
A Midterm Night’s Dream
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Lula’s Win Signals Fight to Regulate …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Lula’s Win Signals Fight to Regulate Social Media Will Escalate in Brazil (TechPolicy.Press)
- Meta Employees Denounce Interference in Brazilian Elections (Panamerican Dispatch)
- Google’s AI Chatbot Refuses to Answer Question of Who Won 2020 Presidential Election (Mediaite)
- AI-driven disinformation running rampant on social media before US midterms, experts warn (The Guardian)
- Never Mind The Deepfakes, Chatbots Have To Deal With Election Lies Being Free, While Truth Is Paywalled (Techdirt)
- French Government Calls Emergency Meetings With Platforms Over Protests (Wired)
- Farewell, France (Quad9)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Ofcom’s Fix For An Online Safety Act That Isn’t Working: More Online Safety Act (Techdirt)
- How age checks at age 16 can work to underpin UK’s social media ban (Ofcom)
Our fun links this week include Krillion (much harder than it looks) and Dial Flipper for discovering new podcasts.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Meta Had A Lotta Scams, Lotta Scams, Lotta Scams
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week’s episode, Ben is joined by Jeff Horwitz, an investigative reporter for …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s episode, Ben is joined by Jeff Horwitz, an investigative reporter for Thomson Reuters and author of Broken Code, which expands on the award-winning series ‘The Facebook Files’ and partly inspired The Social Reckoning. Together they discuss:
- Rhode Island sues Meta over alleged tolerance for scam advertising (Reuters)
- Meta ordered to pay $25bn to New Mexico in Cambridge Analytica data-privacy case (The Guardian)
- Joel Kaplan leaves Meta (Platformer)
- Hooked on YouTube (NBC News)
- Anthropic gives third-party auditors 'employee-like access' in AI industry first (ZDNET)
- A moderator’s death exposes an industry-wide crisis (Uni Global Union)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
Our fun links this week include an archive/newsletter of the most visited Wikipedia page from the prior day and puppies doing their best to navigate through mazes.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
No Good Feed Goes Unpunished
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week’s episode, Mike is joined by Mike McCue, founder and CEO of Flipboard …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s episode, Mike is joined by Mike McCue, founder and CEO of Flipboard, and a long term Silicon Valley exec and entrepreneur. Together, they discuss:
- Reddit is killing RSS feeds and ending public API access because of AI bots (TechCrunch)
- Publishers call on Andy Burnham to crack down on AI stealth bots (The Times)
- Drone Strikes Didn’t Take Out a Russian Bot Farm, But We Were Primed to Believe It (Mother Jones)
- TikTok Quietly Gutted Its Advertising Rules. Scams Have Exploded Ever Since (Forbes)
- Trump Vowed to Wall Off TikTok From China. Did He? (Politico)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Florida wins key ruling allowing it to enforce a law that targets social media use by kids (AP)
- Eleventh Circuit Says Cliffhangers Are ‘Features,’ Not Speech, As It Greenlights Florida’s Social Media Age Gate (Techdirt)
Our fun links this week include Steve Job’s prescient 1983 speech and TinyLittleOffice which is an office suite where documents are stored in the URL themselves.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Like Herding Chats
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:The Official Sonic Discord Server’s …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- The Official Sonic Discord Server’s Launch Went About As Poorly As You’d Expect (Kotaku)
- Vladimir Putin's Forkiverse (Search Engine)
- They trade child sex abuse material. They find each other on TikTok (Prospect)
- Meta rolls out new AI tools to detect ads that secretly lead to child sexual abuse material (TechCrunch)
- TikTok gave teens, children placebo safety feature in experiment, New York alleges (Reuters)
- DNS Resolver Quad9 Rejects French Piracy Blocks, Weighs Exit as beIN Seeks Up to €580K a Day (TorrentFreak)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request (The Guardian)
- EEAS runs scared of US 'disinformation' debate (Rapporteur)
- Canada drops sponsorship of conference that cites U.S. as foreign-interference actor (The Globe and Mail)
Our fun links this week include the Job Trail game and Mike Tomlin’s Minecraft City.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Going to the Ballot Bot
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week’s episode, Ben is joined by Katie Harbath, Meta’s former director of …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s episode, Ben is joined by Katie Harbath, Meta’s former director of public policy for global elections and now founder of technology policy firm Anchor Change. She is also the author of Disrupting Politics, out on Tuesday. Together they discuss:
- TSE (Brazil Election Commission) clarifies rules on deepfakes in the 2026 elections (O Diário do Paraná)
- AI tools keep recommending candidates, monitoring finds (Tribuna Livre Brasil)
- On Eve of Brazil Elections, Meta Content Moderation Decisions Raise Questions (Tech Policy Press)
- Deepfakes, foreign-run accounts and unauthorised ads, new research exposes Meta's Brazil election ad machine (Ekō)
- Social media ban for under-16s to come into effect next March, Culture Secretary confirms (LBC)
- Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to 'self-police' AI development (NPR)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Meta-Led Anti-Terrorism Group Faces Mass Resignation of Expert Advisers (WIRED)
- Meta to report child abuse material directly to Indian authorities (BBC)
- Some NPR podcasts started getting mysterious comments on Spotify (Instagram)
- Content Moderation Knowledge Sharing Shouldn't Be A Backdoor To Cross-Platform Censorship (Techdirt)
- J.M. Berger on resigning from GIFCT’s Independent Advisory Committee (Bluesky)
- Mark: A journey to the heart of history’s largest nonterritorial empire (Colossus)
Our fun links this week include legal-walls.net for all your legal graffiti questions and, courtesy of Katmai National Park in Alaska, Fat Bear Week.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Some Assembly Required
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Trump dismisses concerns about AI …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Trump dismisses concerns about AI risks at UN, says he won't rein it in (PBS News)
- A.I. Gone Rogue? Trump Proposes Not New Rules but an ‘A.I. Force.’ (New York Times)
- 22 countries back call to keep AI ‘under human control’ (POLITICO)
- If AI is going to destroy humanity, Scott Bessent says hyperscalers, not government, must take the fall: ‘We cannot absolve you of responsibility’ (Fortune)
- Meet the algorithm you can actually control and understand (New_Public)
- YouTube’s Custom Feeds Give You More Control Over the Algorithm (Wired)
- YouTube CEO dismisses the idea of joining Meta’s multistate child safety settlement (CNN)
- Harry Potter Survey Results & Final Decision (Reddit)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Safer for Teens, Same Discord for Adults (Discord)
- Age Assurance on Discord: Vendors, Methods and Your Data (Discord)
- How Discord Estimates Age Without Collecting Your Identity (Discord)
- Ofcom launches investigation into Pornhub’s age checks (Ofcom)
- Aylo Defends Apple Age Assurance in Response to Ofcom Investigation (Aylo)
- Discord's age verification era is upon us, despite community backlash (TechCrunch)
- Angry reaction to Discord’s age assurance (X/Twitter)
Our fun links this week include Jev, the super fast new AI classifier, and Persodex, the context layer for your Contacts (PS. hit Ben up if you’re in New York in mid-October).
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
No Child Left Online
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:What is in the EU's planned …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- What is in the EU's planned KIDS Act? (Reuters)
- Proposal for EU KIDS Act - 'EU Keeping Internet Digital Spaces Accountable and Trustworthy' (EU Commission)
- France makes new attempt to ban social media for children under age 15 (Le Monde)
- Reading scores plummet as ‘digital distraction’ harms students (FT)
- We are setting up a generation to fail at school (FT)
- TikTok rejects Meta ads pushing rivals to join child safety settlement (Search Engine Land)
- Inside ‘Project Lily’: The Humans Reading Your ChatGPT Chats (404 Media)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- We Must Pace the Frontier (Dario Amodei)
- OpenAI Wants to Know if an AI Industry Slowdown Would Even Be Legal (Wired)
- Trump goes scorched earth on AI warnings, raging about data center opposition and regulation (CNBC)
- The AI policy window is open. We need to act. (OpenAI)
Our fun links this week include a “Welcome to the Internet” presentation for a 13-year-old and God’s Eye View, a slightly terrifying bit of open source software to explore the world.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Duty of Careful What You Wish For
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Australians will be able to switch …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Australians will be able to switch off social media algorithms under planned legislation (BBC News)
- Australia’s social media ban has an enforcement problem. These new laws aim to fix it (The Conversation)
- The Netherlands forced Meta to let users ditch algorithmic feeds. Here’s what happened (The Conversation)
- What We Know About Prosocial Feed-Ranking Algorithms (Prosocial Design Network)
- Anthropic researcher quits over AI labs ‘gambling with our lives’ (Financial Times)
- AI Agents Are Not Going “Rogue,” But Recent Developments Lead Increasingly-Concerned Researchers To Call For AI Slow Down (Techdirt)
- “We will not be silenced”: Imran Ahmed responds to court ruling (Center for Countering Digital Hate)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- USA: Terrorism designation has global consequences for open internet and free expression (Article 19)
- Rubio Uses Terrorism Law To Ban Secure Email Service (Reason)
Our fun links this week include the multi-view website browser and the internet roadtrip.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
License to Spill
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover. In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses (Krebs on Security)
- Introducing ChatGPT for Teens: Built for learning, backed by protections (OpenAI)
- OpenAI Says ChatGPT Is Safer for Teens. Now It Needs to Show Proof (RAND)
- 'AI is less judgmental' (Washington Post)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- AI safety is designed in the West, and failing users everywhere (Rest of World)
- Why the global push to break free from Big Tech keeps falling short (Rest of World)
- Meta accepts U.S. safety rules while pitching softer tools abroad (Rest of World)
- How AI is mapping the tree of life (Basecamp Research/Microsoft)
Our fun links this week include a Korean AI dance generator and defrag your Windows PC.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Move Fast and Settle Things
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Meta Just Paid Nearly $17 Billion To Make Sure It Gets To Write The Kid Safety Rules For Every Other Social Media Platform (Techdirt)
- Mark Zuckerberg Wants to Make Sure His Competitors Share His Pain (New York Times)
- Meta settlement opens new front in global fight over social media harm (Reuters)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- UK expects Meta to match US child safety measures after $18bn settlement (The Guardian)
- What Meta’s US Settlement on Child Safety Means for Europe (TechPolicy.Press)
- Did Meta’s Big Settlement Actually Help It? (New York Times)
Our fun links this week include a new table format for food recipes and Rainbolt’s tear-jerking Geoguessr video.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
School of Hard Blocks
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by Chris Messina, inventor of the #hashtag in social media, who has worked on internet and social media efforts for decades. Together they discuss:
- Oakland Unified Announces New Cell Phone Policy Now in Effect; Policy is Based on New State Law Requiring Cell Phone-Free School Days (Oakland Unified School District)
- In conversation with Jonathan Haidt, author of ‘The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness’ (Left to Their Own Devices)
- French court blocks social media ban for under 15s (Politico)
- Whistleblower Arturo Béjar leads testimony in landmark trial against Meta (NPR)
- Discord halts livestreams in Brazil after watchdog cites child safety failures (ABC News)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- AI Companion Legislation in the United States (Journal of Sports & Entertainment Law)
- In China, treatment for mental-health problems is a luxury (The Economist)
- I Don’t Trust A.I. But I Told it Everything (NY Times)
Our fun links this week include Berd, the open source anthropomorphic agent management tool from Jack Dorsey and Block, and Dopamine Shop, Fake Eats, and other places to shop without shopping.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Watermark My Words
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Claude will apply invisible …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Claude will apply invisible watermarks to AI text and images (The Verge)
- Claude-inspired copypasting (LinkedIn)
- Anthropic investors bet on $2tn valuation in record IPO (Financial Times)
- The Future is for Everyone (Meta)
- OpenAI’s head of ethics leaves start-up less than a year after joining (Financial Times)
- US court rules Meta, other tech firms must face thousands of lawsuits over social media addiction (Reuters)
- Ninth Circuit Rewrites Section 230 To Remove The Part That Actually Mattered (Techdirt)
- Otherwise Obectionable podcast (Techdirt)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Breton calls for EU disinformation inquiry over Ceuta (Euractiv)
- Meta and TikTok agree to fact-check content on Spain border crossings after deadly rush (Reuters)
- Social media rumours spark biggest migration crisis between Morocco and Spain in years (Euronews)
- Thierry Breton: “Ceuta? La minaccia viene dall’algoritmo che guida gli arrivi” (La Stampa)
Our fun links this week are this typing website for tiny fingers and a museum for your favourite memes — and the thinking behind it.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
In the Modi for Takedowns
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:India summons Meta executives over …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- India summons Meta executives over briefly restricted Modi Facebook post (Reuters)
- ‘No explanation given’: Arvind Kejriwal claims Meta restricted his account in India (The Times of India)
- Meta apologises to India for restricting PM Modi's post (Reuters)
- India temporarily bans Telegram over exam paper leak concern (BBC)
- eBay agrees $56m settlement with bloggers over harassment case (BBC)
- Artist starts legal case against Meta for deleting her Instagram account (The Art Newspaper)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Telegram CEO says an extortionist planted CSAM in a chat to get it pulled from the App Store (The Verge)
- TikTok Withheld a Safety Feature From Millions. One Died by Suicide (Bloomberg)
- TikTok Says ‘Moderator Error’ Kept Perez Hilton Livestream Up (Wired)
Our fun links this week are the Nintendo gameplay counsellors and a revamped app for sharing your toilet flushing habits.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Zuck Starts Throwing His Weights Around
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:The U.S. Is About to Design an AI …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- The U.S. Is About to Design an AI Regulator. Here’s How to Get It Right (Council on Foreign Relations)
- Mark Zuckerberg Says U.S. Should Accelerate AI Development, Not Restrict It (WSJ)
- Want AI you can trust? Start by building the right institutions (Atlantic Council)
- Anthropic Says It’s Against A Ban On Open Weight Models. It Just Wants To Ban Everything That Makes Them Good (Techdirt)
- The High Stakes Behind the EU’s €890M Google DMA Fine (Tech Policy Press)
- Europe bears its teeth, political panic about OpenAI hack and YouTube refines partner policy (Everything in Moderation)
- Trump vows new tariffs on the E.U. after Brussels fines Google $1 billion (Qz)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Elon Musk’s xAI sues Minnesota over law banning ‘nudification’ technology (The Guardian)
- The Worst Person You Know Just Filed A Good First Amendment Lawsuit Against A Very Badly Drafted Nudify App Ban (Techdirt)
Our fun links this week are a replica of Scooby Doo’s Mystery-Machine and the Saltburn cricket scandal because we need more satire right now.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Live at TrustCon 2026
Our third annual Live at TrustCon recording of Ctrl-Alt-Speech! Ben was back this year! Mike and Ben were joined live on stage with Kat Duffy, senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at the Council on …
Show notes
Our third annual Live at TrustCon recording of Ctrl-Alt-Speech! Ben was back this year! Mike and Ben were joined live on stage with Kat Duffy, senior fellow for digital and cyberspace policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and Zoe Darme, Director for Trust, Knowledge and Information Products at Google. They cover:
- Security incident disclosure — July 2026 (Hugging Face)
- OpenAI and Hugging Face partner to address security incident during model evaluation (OpenAI)
- An OpenAI test model escaped and broke into a real company’s servers (CNN)
- France Joins a Global Move Toward Restricting Social Media for Children (NY Times)
- xAI sues user for exploiting AI tool to sexualise minors (Al Jazeera)
Special thanks to the Trust & Safety Professionals Association (TSPA) and all the work they do each year in putting on TrustCon, and for allowing us to host the live podcast as the closing session again this year.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Spotlight: PwC’s Dan Hays on the future of Trust & Safety
In this sponsored Spotlight episode of Ctrl-Alt-Speech, host Ben Whitelaw speaks to PwC’s Dan Hays at TrustCon about the firm’s recently published Trust & Safety Outlook report.They discuss: How AI is …
Show notes
In this sponsored Spotlight episode of Ctrl-Alt-Speech, host Ben Whitelaw speaks to PwC’s Dan Hays at TrustCon about the firm’s recently published Trust & Safety Outlook report.
They discuss:
- How AI is simultaneously creating new risks and reshaping the tools used to address them;
- What the rise of autonomous agents means for governance, accountability and the future of the internet; and
- How platforms should respond to an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape.
The conversation also explores how Trust & Safety is becoming a more strategic function inside companies, how automation could change the role of practitioners and vendors, and which emerging risks remain most underestimated.
This episode is brought to you in conjunction with our sponsor, PwC. Download the report today.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Putting Some Meat On The Bans
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by Niklas Eder, co-founder and co-CEO of User Rights, a designated out of court dispute settlement body under the Digital Services Act which reviews complaints from users whose social media posts have been deleted or moderated. Together, Ben and Niklas discuss:
- UK to lay out social media curbs for 16 and 17 year-olds (POLITICO)
- ‘What’s the point?’ Teenagers give their verdict on Britain’s social media curfew (The Guardian)
- EU moves towards social media ban for children (Financial Times)
- They Helped Women Fight Online Abuse. They Were Barred From the U.S. (The New York Times)
- Discord confirms AI moderators have banned thousands over harmless images (Mashable)
- Federal Court Suspends Trump Immigration Policy Targeting Technology Researchers (Knight First Amendment Institute)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- EU threatens Meta with fines over 'addictive' Facebook and Instagram (BBC News)
- Commission preliminarily finds the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook in breach of the Digital Services Act (European Commission)
- The Question of Legality and the Function of the Commission’s Preliminary Findings Against Meta (Verfassungsblog)
Our fun links this week are a lawn mowing game for post-World Cup stress relief and the Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers because we need more satire right now.
This episode is sponsored by PwC, whose upcoming 2026 Trust and Safety Outlook Report explores the forces reshaping how organizations are approaching online safety and integrity. In our special bonus chat, Ben sits down with Dan Hays, Principal Partner of Strategy& (part of the PwC network), to talk about the future of trust and safety and get a sneak peek at some of the themes in their report before its release next week at TrustCon.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Sell Me Lies, Sell Me Sweet Meta Lies
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:‘It’s not like we knowingly have bad …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- ‘It’s not like we knowingly have bad ads’: Meta on ad fraud, teen safety, and why AI will not replace agencies (The Media Leader)
- Instagram running ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India (BBC)
- Meta Now Lets Anyone Use Your Instagram Photos in AI Images—Unless You Opt Out (Wired)
- At 17, She Sued Meta and Google, and Won. Now She’s Ready to Tell Her Story (Bloomberg)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Beijing is looking at curbing overseas access to China's top AI models, sources say (Reuters)
- Fable 5 Is Back After Anthropic Irons Out Security Concerns With US Government (PC Mag)
- AI Giants Are Handing Out Tons of Free Computing Power to Grab Startup Share (WSJ)
- Introducing Tokens to the Future: Token Grants to AI Builders (LinkedIn)
- OpenAI proposes handing Trump administration 5% stake (Financial Times)
Our fun links this week are Roost, the “slow-cial” messaging app, and PlotLines for visualizing classic novels on a map.
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Making the Best of a Ban Situation
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by Cori Crider, executive director of the Future of Technology Institute, an independent non-profit focusing on technology that serves the public. She previously co-founded legal non-profit Foxglove and led national security litigation at human rights organisation, Reprieve. Together, Ben and Cori discuss:
- Australia to double potential fines for Facebook and Instagram (ABC News)
- 85% of kids are still using social media despite ban. But we need a new measure to judge its success (The Conversation)
- German expert panel suggests social media ban for under-13s (Reuters)
- EXCLUSIVE: EU could announce social media ban for kids in September (Euractiv)
- The EU Wants To Grow Homegrown Tech. Its Courts Keep Making That Impossible (Techdirt)
- Eurosky x Funk (German pub broadcaster youth programme) partnership (Linkedin)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- TikTok announce major redundancies amid push for AI content moderation (The Independent)
- Meta looks to AI to review harmful content in cost-cutting drive (Financial Times)
Our fun links this week are the rise of dopamine sites (Ben) and Polaroid’s billboard campaign (Cori).
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Teaser: The Ctrl-Alt-Speech Reading List
In a special bonus episode for our Patreon supporters, Mike and Ben discuss some of their favorite must-read books about online speech, platform power, and content moderation. This free teaser covers their …
Show notes
In a special bonus episode for our Patreon supporters, Mike and Ben discuss some of their favorite must-read books about online speech, platform power, and content moderation. This free teaser covers their first two picks: It’s Complicated by Danah Boyd and Behind the Screen by Sarah T. Roberts.
To hear the full episode with all six books, become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Close Your Apps and Think of England
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by Jen Weedon, a T&S veteran of Meta and Niantic. She is currently consulting and teaching at Columbia school of International and Public Affairs. Together, Ben and Jen discuss:
- Jen Weedon on anticipating platform threats and how to manage burnout (Everything in Moderation)
- AI Slop and the Information Ecosystem (Columbia University)
- UK examines steps to stop children circumventing social media ban (Financial Times)
- Social media ban for UK’s under 16s will go even further than Australia’s policy (BMJ)
- The split-screen reaction to the UK social media ban (Everything in Moderation)
- Anthropic shuts down newest AI model after U.S. bans foreign use (The Washington Post)
- India blocks Telegram messaging app until June 22, government says (Reuters)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Spotify removed 57,000 fake podcast episodes selling illegal drugs after congressional pressure (TNW)
- Spotify chief defends AI-generated music (Financial Times)
Our fun links this week are the How Alberta eradicated rats (Ben) and Mogwooooo’s Instagram account (Jen).
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Cupertino d'État
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:Tech bosses threatened with prison if they fail to protect children (The Times)Apple and Google given three months to ban nude images on children's devices …
Show notes
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- Tech bosses threatened with prison if they fail to protect children (The Times)
- Apple and Google given three months to ban nude images on children's devices (BBC News)
- Keir Starmer’s social media ban for under-16s could backfire, experts warn (OpenDemocracy)
- Apple previews new child safety features (Apple)
- Apple's WWDC keynote was very different, but this will be the new normal (9to5mac)
- Ottawa introduces bill to restrict social media for teens, regulate AI chatbots (Globe and Mail)
- Australia builds enforcement layer behind age assurance laws (Biometric Update)
- NCAC Welcomes Meta Oversight Board's New Account Recommendations (NCAC)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 (Anthropic)
- Microsoft restricts Claude Fable for employees over data retention concern (The Verge)
- The Rise of the Compliant Speech Platform (Lawfare)
- Policy on the AI Exponential (Dario Amodei)
Our fun links this week are the 7-0 World Cup game (Ben) and Chipotlai Max (Mike).
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Generous to a Default
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:New 13+ Content Settings for Teen …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- New 13+ Content Settings for Teen Accounts Expanding Globally on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger (Meta)
- Meta Expands Safety Features for Teenagers (New York Times)
- Hackers Used Meta’s AI Support Bot to Seize Instagram Accounts (Krebs on Security)
- Everyone In This LEGO Dispute Should Have Spoken To A Lawyer Earlier Than They Did (Techdirt)
- Can you go 82-0? (82-0)
- My toddler’s version of a silent disco (Instagram)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Deus vs. Machina
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:The Boring Internet (Terry …
Show notes
Become a Ctrl-Alt-Speech supporter to get extended episodes of the podcast plus the chance to submit stories for us to cover.
In this week's episode, Mike and Ben cover:
- The Boring Internet (Terry Godier)
- Orkney Library & Archive (Bluesky)
- Silicon Valley takes its AI pitch to the pope (Politico)
- Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah's remarks on Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica humanitas" (Anthropic)
- Vance calls Pope Leo’s AI warnings ‘profound’ (NBC News)
- American heresy: should Peter Thiel be burned at the stake? (Le Grand Continent)
- Spotify chief defends AI-generated music (Financial Times)
- OpenAI readies cyber, misinformation defenses ahead of elections (Axios)
And in the extended episode for Patreon supporters, they cover:
- In a surprise, Meta increases funding to the Oversight Board (Platformer)
- Spotlight: Five Years of the Oversight Board, from Experiment to Essential Institution (Ctrl-Alt-Speech)
If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can get the extended episode on Patreon.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Message in a Bottleneck
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by civil liberties lawyer Jennifer Granick. Together they discuss:Kickstarter rolls back …
Show notes
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by civil liberties lawyer Jennifer Granick. Together they discuss:
- Kickstarter rolls back its mature content policy after outcry (Engadget)
- Apple gives update on the App Store and its key protections (9to5 Mac)
- Thoughts on the £1,000,000 SaSu Fine (Preston Byrne)
- Pushing back from Big Tech: Africa’s hard road to AI sovereignty (Rest of World)
- America’s dangerous, messy deepfakes crackdown is here (The Verge)
- X accounts are limited to 50 posts and 200 replies a day unless they pay for a blue checkmark (Engadget)
Support the podcast by joining our Patreon, with special founder membership available until May 28th.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
The Human Element in the Room
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by First Amendment lawyer Ari Cohn. Together they discuss:Pennsylvania sues AI chatbot as …
Show notes
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by First Amendment lawyer Ari Cohn. Together they discuss:
- Pennsylvania sues AI chatbot as state lawmakers wrestle with stricter regulations (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
- Children are drawing moustaches on their faces to fool online age checks - and it's working (Euronews)
- The Online Safety Act: Are children safer online? (Internet Matters)
- Utah first state to hold websites liable for users who mask their location with VPNs — law goes into effect, designed to prevent bypassing age checks (Tom’s Hardware)
- Three Justifications—and the AI Accelerant—of India’s Digital Censorship Infrastructure (Tech Policy Press)
- Did School Cellphone Bans Work? New Study Finds Mixed Results.(NY Times)
Support the podcast by joining our Patreon, with special founder membership available until May 28th.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Age Against the Machine
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by Jess Miers, law professor at University of Akron School of Law. Together, they …
Show notes
In this week’s roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by Jess Miers, law professor at University of Akron School of Law. Together, they discuss:
- AI Chatbots: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
- OpenAI’s Sam Altman apologizes to Canadian community after failing to flag mass shooter’s conversations with its AI chatbot (CNN)
- OpenAI And Sam Altman Could Face Dozens More Lawsuits Over School Shooting In British Columbia, Lawyer Says (Forbes)
- Manitoba premier addresses province’s plan to ban youth from social media, AI chatbots (CTV News)
- Turkey Passes Legislation Barring Children Under 15 From Social Media (NY Times)
- How YouTube Took Over the American Classroom (WSJ)
Support the podcast by joining our Patreon, with special founder membership available until May 28th.
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
Celebrating 100 Episodes & Launching Our Patreon
In this special episode, Mike and Ben reflect on 100 episodes of the podcast, followed by an important announcement: we’re launching a Patreon and making some changes to Ctrl-Alt-Speech!Starting on May 28th …
Show notes
In this special episode, Mike and Ben reflect on 100 episodes of the podcast, followed by an important announcement: we’re launching a Patreon and making some changes to Ctrl-Alt-Speech!
Starting on May 28th, Patreon members will get early access to extended weekly episodes with in-depth coverage of an extra major story. The free episodes will continue here on this feed, just slightly shorter and released one day later.
You can become a member now at one of two levels: Supporters get early access to the extended episodes, and for a limited time Founders get that plus the opportunity to send us news stories that you think we should cover each week. After the new episodes begin at the end of May, the Founder tier will become the Insider tier with all the same benefits at a slightly higher price, so act now if you don’t want to miss out (you’ll also get bragging rights as a founding member!)
We’re immensely grateful to the incredible audience we’ve found over these past 100 episodes, and this is our way of helping make the podcast sustainable for the next 100!
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
The Silence of the LLMs
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:The Darkest Web (BBC)Federal agencies skirt Trump’s Anthropic ban to test its …
Show notes
In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:
- The Darkest Web (BBC)
- Federal agencies skirt Trump’s Anthropic ban to test its advanced AI model (Politico)
- Anthropic Opposes the Extreme AI Liability Bill That OpenAI Backed (Wired)
- Europe should regulate Big Tech instead of banning kids from social media, Estonia says (Politico EU)
- Statement by President von der Leyen with Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on the digital age verification app (European Commission)
- Apple threatened to remove Grok from the App Store over sexualized deepfakes, letter says (NBC News)
- A fake Ledger app on the Apple App Store drained $9.5 million in crypto (Coindesk)
- India’s Decentralized System of Internet Censorship (Tech Policy Press)
- As Social Media Tears Society Apart, a New Crop of Scary Movies Focuses on the Horror of Content Moderation (Variety)
We’re still yet to find a Ctrl-Alt-Speech 2026 Bingo Card winner — could this week be your lucky day? Play along!
Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky.
Ctrl-Alt-Speech is the podcast where we make sense of the major debates shaping online speech, platform power, content moderation and the future of the internet. It’s co-hosted by Mike Masnick (Techdirt) and Ben Whitelaw (Everything in Moderation).
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