It all started when I saw the bad First Amendment takes swarming social media. How could I not shitpost about them? One thing led to another, and now I’m a full-time TikTok ban pundit.
In the last week, I’ve done three podcasts on the TikTok question. They happen to form a coherent series:
First up, Law and Chaos, hosted by the fabulous Liz Dye. Our discussion revolved around the loony political antics of TikTok’s would-be destroyers. The demagoguery (Dan Crenshaw: A vote against a TikTok ban is a vote for the CCP!). The paranoia (Katie Britt: We . . . must . . . be . . . afraid . . .). The tinfoil hattery (The CCP is going to starve our kids of STEM videos!). The bullshitting (looking at you, Steve Mnuchin). This is the fun episode in the trio. We get sassy.
Next, back at the home office, the Tech Policy Podcast, I got down to business. Call it a wonk rant. Call it a spoken legal brief. In this solo episode, I set forth, in exquisite detail, the First Amendment problems with the House bill to ban TikTok, aka H.R. 7521. (Topics include: Your right to read crazy things. Why foreign broadcast ownership restrictions are passé. Why you should beware the right-winger shouting, “iT’S nOT sPEech, It’S CoNDuCt!” How H.R. 7521 is as badly tailored as a David Byrne suit.)
Finally, I appeared after Taylor Lorenz (!?) on the latest installment of The Realignment. What a treat. I listen to this podcast, and you should too. The host, Marshall Kosloff, is a thoughtful guy, an incisive questioner, and a strong proponent of a TikTok ban. The resulting interview is, in effect, me responding to a smart person’s responses to the arguments I laid out in my solo episode. A fine way to wrap up this little trilogy.
So pick your poison! Better yet, go on a three-podcast bender.
Law and Chaos #16: Can You Weirdos Knock It Off With the TikTok Bans! (Feat. Corbin Barthold)
Tech Policy Podcast #371: So You Want to Ban TikTok
The Realignment #469: Taylor Lorenz & Corbin Barthold: The Case Against the TikTok Sale Legislation
Look, I’m as surprised as anyone . . .