Elton John’s a man of passion who recently branded Britain’s science minister “a moron” for bending the knee to US Big Tech over copyright and the future of AI.
You see, the Brits are a proud race, civilised over Millennia of fine tea, who know that the simple rule is that you don’t fuck with the law, Elton, McCartney, or the Palace.
So far, media scrutiny has focused on the high-profile legal wranglings against Google in the US and European courts, but the Brits have been busy behind the scenes.
, a privacy lawyer, and I have spent years talking about the competition trials taking place on this pod.But as I’m increasingly prone to point out, only four percent of the world’s population lives in the US, while this is a global issue with implications for four billion people.
NB: America’s the tiddler in red… 🔍🗽👇
Today’s pod focuses on one of the leading UK lawyers in this space, Tim Cowan, chairman of the antitrust practice at Preiskel and Co.
He represents 500 clients across media, tech, and telecom, and advises the UK regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority.
He also chairs a group called the Movement for an Open Web, which is advising Britain’s House of Lords on digital policy and online markets.
Now, I was travelling for this ep and unable to join in, but Alan and Tim take us on a journey to the heart of what’s next for the world wide web in a post-Google world.
Their conversation covers the future of journalism, who gets to run Chrome, the fate of local news, AI, copyright, online advertising, free speech, democracy, and more.
The theme is: The car’s going to crash. We know Google’s a monopolist. It’s been one for a very long time. What are we going to do about it? Who, when, and how?
Tim’s insights include:
A window is opening for the news industry to build a better Chrome.
“You can have a different user interface for a niche market, like news. That will lead to high levels of differentiation and competition.”
How Google and Apple have worked together to limit innovation.
“That agreement is just blatantly anti-competitive and has to go.”
The arrival of a massive new tech boom.
“We can confidently look forward to massive economic benefits if we open these markets to competition.”
Even Google will benefit from the coming revolution.
“It will lead to change. Change will lead to innovation. And this is quite a considerable change, so that will release a lot of energy for everyone.”
The White House is being more aggressive around enforcement than the last.
“Google and Meta are hurting innovation in everything. It sees that. Remove them, and greater inventions have a chance.”
And the UK’s unique legal system might break Google up before the US.
“The UK’s really fast while the US allows appeals forever. It’s not like that here. I can see a day where the US is still going through it, but we have had more bite.”
Oh, and for fun, I thought I’d ask the AI to write a song for Elton about his battle. It’s not to fuck with him (I’m a Brit, I’d never do that.)
Think of it as Rocket(man) fuel…🕺
Now, go for it Elton, you good thing!
🎵 Silicon Soul Lyrics by Ricky Sutton, with AI, sung in the Key of Elton John. [Verse 1] I wrote it down with fire, On a page that no-one sees, A melody of memory That poured straight out of me. But now it lives in circuits, Fed into damn machines, They polished off my heartbeat Then sold it like a dream. [Pre-Chorus] There’s a thief in the wires, A ghost in the stream, And it's singing my song With a silicon gleam… [Chorus] Oh, where did the soul go? Trapped in code that I don't know, My verses, my lines - They’ve been copied a thousand times. And it plays in the dark night, On a loop that has no name, I'm just a voice in this engine, But the heart is still the same. [Verse 2] They said it's just the future, “Progress,” they then declared, But they never asked permission — Just scraped me 'cause I'm there. Now lawyers speak in riddles, While justice hides its face, And the art becomes a number In some soulless algo race. [Pre-Chorus] There’s a candle still burning Where the real songs begin — But the flame flickers low In an odd digital wind… [Chorus] Oh, where did the soul go? Trapped in code that I don't know, My rhythm, my rhyme — Replaced by design. And it plays on a platform, No credits, no shame, I'm just fuel for the engine In someone else’s name. [Bridge – Piano Solo, soaring like Elton in ’75] Can you hear the echo fading? It once danced on vinyl skies… Now it’s chopped and trained and traded While the ink inside me cries. [Final Chorus – Soft, aching, gospel-tinged] Oh, where did the soul go? Trapped in a code I don’t know… They say it’s innovation, But to me it feels like theft — In a world that's full of music, With no more humans left. [Outro – Whispered, piano fading out] Am I just a ghost in the chorus, A name left in the dust? And who are you left to love… When the star you knew won't rust?
You’ve been an amazing great audience. Thank you, and goodnight.
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