This is the Kader Daily Podcast for Wednesday, February 16th, 2022.

I'm Caleb Brown.

A long shift continues on the right in how they think about so-called big tech, the ability of large tech companies to make their own rules.

So what's changed?

Cato's Matthew, Fini, and Ryan Bourne discuss what it means.

Matthew, I want to start with you.

Characterize if you can the evolution of I guess public thinking about big tech, for lack of a better term, these big speech platforms like Facebook and others on the right. How has the right viewed that technology in basic, the basic freedom to communicate.

I would argue that before the emergence of Donald Trump, there really wasn't much of an

emphasis on these big tech platforms. They were used by conservative activists and

conservative organizations to spread content. And however, after Donald

Trump's election, a lot of emphasis was placed on what people call big tech and these are usually

Google Facebook Twitter YouTube and there was widespread concern among the American rights that these companies are stifling conservative speech and the more

traditional approach to policy which was one that was skeptical of the administrative

state that embraced the right of private companies to do what they want seems to have evaporated somewhat.

You've seen more and more conservative and Republican activists lawmakers embracing a more

government intervention approach when it comes to regulating big tech. Right. I think the most obvious manifestation of this shift has been in regards how antitrust policy should be used.

Just a couple of years ago, Conservatives continue to defend what's become known as the Consumer

Welfare Standard over the last 40 years.

In essence, competition policy in the US has been predicated on a load star of conduct being by big companies being fined so long as consumers are benefiting in some way,

whether that be through lower prices or more innovation in markets.

And one of the things that we've seen in the past couple of years is where

Conservatives have been concerned about content moderation decisions, about

...