Ep. 237: A tech policy bonanza! The FCC, FTC, AI regulations, and more

Does a cat stand on two legs or four?

The answer to that question may tell you all you need to know about the government involving itself in social media content moderation.

On today's show, we cover the latest tech policy developments involving the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, AI regulation, and more.

Guests:

- Ari Cohn, FIRE's lead counsel, tech policy.

- Adam Thierer, a resident technology and innovation senior fellow at the R Street Institute

- Jennifer Huddleston, a technology policy senior fellow at the CATO Institute

Timestamps:

00:00Intro

01:30Section 230

06:55FCC and Section 230

14:32Brendan Carr and "faith-based programming"

28:24Media companies' settlements with the Trump

30:24Brendan Carr at Semafor event

38:37FTC and social media companies

48:09AI regulations

01:03:43Outro

Read the transcript.

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Show notes:

• "Seeingreports that the FCC plans to take a vague and ineffective step on Section 230 to try to control speech online…" FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez via X (2025)

• "FederalCommunications Commission Chair Brendan Carr taking first steps in eroding key legal protection enjoyed by Big Tech" New York Post (2025)

• Section 230 text

• "FederalCommunications Commission" Brendan Carr via Project 2025(2022)

• "BlessRon Wyden and his steady defense of Section 230. He is absolutely right: 230 is a pro-competition law." Adam Kovacevich via X (2025)

• "IfGoogle is looking to block faith-based programming on YouTube, they are doing a really really bad job at it…" Adam Thierer via X (2025)

• "Ihave received complaints that Google's @YouTubeTV is discriminating against faith-based programming…" Brendan Carr via X (2025)

• "FCC'sCarr defends broadcast probes, slams social media 'threat'" Semafor (2025)

• "Petition for rulemaking of the national telecommunications and information administration" National Telecommunications and Information Administration (2020)

• "FCCChair Brendan Carr taking first steps in eroding key legal protection enjoyed by Big Tech" New York Post (2025)

• "BigTech censorship is not just un-American, it is potentially illegal…" FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson via X (2025)

• "FederalTrade Commission launches inquiry on tech censorship" FTC (2025)

• "Moody v. NetChoice" (2024)

• "The FTC is overstepping its authority — and threatening free speech online" FIRE (2025)

• "Wave of state-level AI bills raise First Amendment problems" FIRE (2025)

• "AIregulatory activity is completely out of control in the U.S…" Adam Thierer via X (2025)

• "Cyberrights: Defending free speech in the digital age" Mike Godwin (1995)

• "GregLukianoff testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, February 6, 2024"FIRE (2024)

• "Technologiesof Freedom" Ithiel de Sola Pool (1984)