Episode
#169 - Preston Bryne - Britain Isn't A Free Country Anymore
- Podcast
- The Peter McCormack Show
- Published
- Apr 26, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 6010
- Processing state
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Summary
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 - Drafting A British First Amendment 00:28:21 - What The Bill Keeps, What It Repeals 00:31:56 - "I'm Not Setting Foot In The UK" 00:34:02 - The Career Cost Of This Fight 00:36:55 - Death Threats From UK IPs 00:37:33 - The Libertarian Case For Using The Courts 00:40:00 - Why Age Verification Isn't The Answer 00:45:00 - The VPN Problem Australia Created 00:46:28 - "The System Is Designed To Produce Violations" 00:49:16 - Where The First Amendment Actually Stops 00:52:45 - The Marmot Liberation Front 00:54:52 - Mr Whiskers Vs Ofcom 01:00:00 - Holding The Perimeter For 30 Million Users 01:04:00 - Why N…