Hi Folks, this week in the pod I interview
, all round expert on the censorship industrial complex and whip smart digital rights activist come COVID contrarian. In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss his background in digital rights and activism, his work with the Twitter Files, and the investigation into the misinformation and disinformation industry. He shares insights from his time working with NGOs in Southeast Asia, highlighting the evolving challenges in the field of digital liberties. He reflects on the shifts in progressive politics, the impact of government and corporate control over information, and the broader implications for freedom of speech. The conversation delves into how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced public discourse, government policies, and civil liberties. The episode also covers Andrew's current work, a project on U.S. government spending related to narrative control, and his upcoming book on the censorship industrial complex.You can listen to the podcast here as well as on Podbean, Apple and YouTube. Enjoy!
00:00 Introduction and Initial Greetings
01:08 Discussing Backgrounds and Personal Stories
02:39 Exploring Identity and Cultural Reflections
03:18 Controversial Topics and Social Issues
08:48 Professional Background and Digital Rights
13:35 Misinformation and Disinformation in Southeast Asia
19:13 Involvement with the Twitter Files
27:16 Censorship and Government Influence
31:54 Reflections on Liberal Democracy and Civil Liberties
46:09 Reflecting on Missed Opportunities
46:47 Isolation and Silencing of Dissent
47:35 Contradictions in the Rebel Community
48:22 The Role of Big Pharma and Trans Activism
48:47 Academic Perspectives on Power and Control
49:47 The Digital ID and Freedom Debate
50:30 Critique of Naomi Wolf and Public Perception
54:24 The Impact of COVID-19 Policies
01:01:27 Government and Big Tech Censorship
01:06:19 Database on Misinformation Funding
01:14:52 The Censorship Industrial Complex
01:17:32 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans
Andrew’s bio
Andrew Lowenthal (Director) is a leader, writer and researcher. He worked closely with Matt Taibbi on the Twitter Files, breaking stories on the Virality Project, the Atlantic Council, and Australia’s censorship regime, and was the lead researcher and project manager for the Censorship Industrial Complex exposé. He also helped coordinate the Westminster Declaration.
He is the co-founder and former Executive Director of EngageMedia, an Asia-Pacific digital rights and open technology non-profit. He is a former fellow of Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, the Harvard Film Studies Center, and MIT’s Open Documentary Lab.
He writes on Substack at Network Affects and Racket.News, and tweets at @naffects.
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