#169 - Preston Bryne - Britain Isn't A Free Country Anymore

About this episode

Preston Byrne discusses the implications of the UK's Online Safety Act and the fight for free speech in Britain.

Preston Byrne is the only American lawyer fighting the UK's attempt to censor US companies under the Online Safety Act. He's representing 4chan, Kiwi Farms, Gab and Sanctioned Suicide - pro bono - because no other firm would take the cases. In this interview, Preston explains why Britain isn't a free country anymore, what Ofcom actually claims the power to do to American websites and why he says the UK is trying to enforce British censorship law on American soil. We get into the moment that started him down this path - a 16-year-old getting a criminal summons from the City of London Police for holding a sign - and why two decades later he believes the rest of the country is finally catching up to what he saw then. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - The Cases No One Else Would Take 00:03:06 - From Banking Lawyer To Free Speech Fight 00:05:00 - "I Didn't Know How Important It Was Until It Was Taken Away" 00:06:49 - The Sign That Started Everything 00:13:50 - What Ofcom Actually Is 00:17:09 - The Question Britain Has Never Asked 00:21:11 - Why Reform And The Greens Both Get It Wrong 00:24:23…

People in this episode

Host: Peter McCormack

Guest: Preston Byrne

Topics covered

• free speech
• censorship
• legal battles
• UK law
• American websites
• Online Safety Act

Keywords

• censorship
• free speech
• Online Safety Act
• legal representation
• 4chan
• Kiwi Farms
• Gab
• Sanctioned Suicide

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 4chan, Kiwi Farms, Gab, Sanctioned Suicide, Ofcom

Places: UK, Britain, City of London

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