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January 9, 2026 · 1h 43m

4chan Lawyer: How America Is Pushing Back Against UK & EU Censorship | Preston Byrne

Preston Byrne is a technology and free-speech lawyer who’s been on the front lines of a growing international battle over online speech. We dig into how governments in the UK, EU, and Australia are attempting to project their censorship regimes onto American companies, and why

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2 My clients were frightened with fines of up to $25 million or 10% of your global revenue.

3 Each client decided that they were going to fight back and I said, 4 okay, I'm going to help you do that.

6 You attempt this behavior, you attempt to touch an American, 7 consequences, big consequences, immediate consequences, expensive consequences.

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I've been doing this work for 10 years.

My clients were frightened with fines of up to $25 million or 10% of your global revenue.

Each client decided that they were going to fight back and I said,

okay, I'm going to help you do that.

They got the fight of a lifetime.

You attempt this behavior, you attempt to touch an American,

consequences, big consequences, immediate consequences, expensive consequences.

The UK speech regime has not been favorable to free speech ever.

Show notes & resources

Preston Byrne is a technology and free-speech lawyer who’s been on the front lines of a growing international battle over online speech. We dig into how governments in the UK, EU, and Australia are attempting to project their censorship regimes onto American companies, and why

Preston is representing platforms like 4chan and Kiwi Farms in direct opposition to those efforts.

We explore the UK’s Online Safety Act, the escalating push for age verification and VPN crackdowns, and why these laws pose a direct threat to the First Amendment. We also unpack the GRANITE Act, emerging U.S. political pushback, and what this all means for the future of free speech, privacy, Bitcoin culture, and the open internet.

If you care about sovereignty, free expression, and why Americans are saying “come and take it” to foreign regulators, this episode is for you.