The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: “A Four Point Plan to Win the War Against Big Tech with Blake Masters”
Date: August 6, 2021
Host: Charlie Kirk
Guest: Blake Masters

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Charlie Kirk welcomes Blake Masters—tech entrepreneur, author (“Zero to One”), and then-candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona—to address the pressing threat posed by Big Tech to American society and democracy. Framing the conversation as a forward-looking, policy-focused discussion rather than campaign talking points, Kirk and Masters critique the outdated Republican orthodoxy and offer a robust, actionable four-point plan to fight the power and influence of tech giants.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Need for New Conservative Thinking

• Outdated Reagan-era Playbook: Masters argues that conservatives are stuck repeating 1980s anti-communism/free market mantras which no longer address contemporary challenges, especially with technological and geopolitical shifts.
  • “Most Republican politicians still parrot lines from, you know, the Reagan administration... But that doesn't mean that we're in 1980.” (Blake Masters, 04:25)
• Trump’s Disruption: Kirk and Masters credit former President Trump for challenging the old consensus, especially on China and globalization.

2. Big Tech as an Existential Threat

• Scale of Influence: Masters frames companies like Google and Facebook as more powerful than governments, warning of their ability to secretly control narratives and influence elections.
  • “These companies, they're more powerful than most governments in some sense... Google can swing a presidential election, and they can do it in secret.” (Blake Masters, 07:20)
• Political Censorship: Discussion of Facebook removing the Hunter Biden laptop story as an example of problematic political gatekeeping.
  • “Facebook takes this story, which is factual and true, and the week before an election, they rip it off their platform... That is political censorship.” (Blake Masters, 07:57)

3. Debunking Free Market Dogmas

• Markets as Means, Not Ends: Kirk and Masters both criticize the notion that markets are an untouchable good in themselves.
  • “Free market capitalism is good because it creates a system in which human beings can flourish... But the market is a tool that serves human ends.” (Blake Masters, 09:56)
• Flourishing Society: Masters stakes the conservative cause on making it possible for Americans to securely and prosperously raise families—on one income if possible.
  • “You have to be able to raise a family in America on one single income. Like that is the goal.” (Blake Masters, 10:58)

4. A Four-Point Legislative Plan Against Big Tech

(See [16:05]–[30:13] for in-depth sequence)

1. Section 230 Reform

• Strip Big Tech platforms' legal immunity when they act as publishers, not just neutral platforms.
  • “Section 230... means you strip away the platform immunity that these companies enjoy when they act as publishers.” (Blake Masters, 16:05)

2. Treat Big Tech as Common Carriers

• Regulate social platforms like utilities: just as phone companies can't deny services for political reasons, neither should Facebook, Twitter, etc.
  • “We should make sure that Facebook can't do it... We treat them as common carriers. Public utilities.” (Blake Masters, 16:55)

3. Antitrust—Break Up the Tech Giants

• Use existing (and possibly modernized) antitrust laws to break up monolithic platforms—Facebook into WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.; Google into search, YouTube, cloud.
  • “Corporate concentrations of power can also be really bad... Facebook needs to be broken up.” (Blake Masters, 17:08)
  • “Every line of business should be its probably own company. You know, Facebook probably shouldn’t have been able to buy WhatsApp in the first place.” (Blake Masters, 18:39)
• Counter-arguments (e.g., that breaking them up could empower China) are addressed and rejected.

4. Ban Targeted Advertising

• Masters proposes banning targeted/digital surveillance advertising based on personal data exploitation, shifting away from precision ads that fund and empower tech giants.
  • “We should probably just go ahead and ban targeted advertising.” (Blake Masters, 25:05)
  • “Google knows more about you... than your wife does. And the same is true of me. The same is true of everybody.” (Blake Masters, 26:06)
  • Argues its predatory nature and links it to manipulation, privacy invasion, and potential exacerbation of wealth inequality.

5. Responses to Common Counterarguments

• “Just build your own social network!” – Masters calls this argument disingenuous, citing the Parler case where platform infrastructure was weaponized to deplatform competitors (21:35).
• Targeted Advertising Efficiency: He concedes it would make marketing less efficient but argues the priority is “consumer privacy and protecting people, because they have no idea what these companies are doing” (Blake Masters, 30:39).

6. Broader Political Analysis

• Democratic Party & Big Tech: Masters notes Democrats used to oppose corporate power but now, due to Big Tech’s censorship aligning with their interests, seem supportive (34:42).
• FTC Appointment: Praises Lina Khan’s nomination as a potential sign of regulatory change but remains skeptical it’ll translate into real action (35:06).

7. What Should Voters Look for in Conservative Candidates?

• Three Points: Electability, voting record (voting the right way), and (most importantly) a genuine, transformative vision that addresses the problems of the future—not just past dogma (36:56).
  • “What is the unique vision of the country that they have?... What’s the new thing?” (Blake Masters, 37:05)

8. Generational Critiques and Hope for Gen Z

• Masters critiques baby boomer leadership for leaving behind economic and social problems, and expresses skepticism that millennials can reverse the decline—placing hope in Gen Z “radical pragmatism” (42:43–43:05).
  • “The millennials will not save America... Generation Z, if America is to be saved, totally agree, that's where it is.” (43:02–43:05)
• Advocates for alternative career paths outside the “college industrial complex,” highlighting the Teal Fellowship's success in fostering innovators who bypass traditional college (44:47–46:38).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Recalibrating Conservatism:
  “Most Republican politicians still parrot lines from, you know, the Reagan administration... But that doesn't mean that we're in 1980.” (Blake Masters, 04:25)

• On Big Tech’s Power:
  “These companies, they're more powerful than most governments in some sense... Google can swing a presidential election, and they can do it in secret.” (Blake Masters, 07:20)

• On the Free Market as Means to an End:
  “Free market capitalism is good because it creates a system in which human beings can flourish... But the market is a tool that serves human ends.” (Blake Masters, 09:56)

• On the Parler Deplatforming:
  “You can't actually build your own social network because the censorship goes so much deeper. It's like at the infrastructure layer.” (Blake Masters, 20:35)

• On Targeted Advertising:
  “Google knows more about you in some clinical cold sense than your wife does... these companies know. They know your location, they know how you spend money... they probably know many of our thoughts in some sense before we even think them.” (Blake Masters, 26:06)

• On Gen Z’s Role:
  “The millennials will not save America... Generation Z, if America is to be saved, totally agree, that's where it is.” (Blake Masters, 43:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Reagan-era Orthodoxy & Trump’s Disruption: 03:26–06:19
• Existential Threat of Big Tech: 07:20–08:28
• Debating the Free Market Argument: 09:50–10:58
• Masters' Four-Point Plan (detailed): 16:05–30:13
• Addressing Counterarguments & Risks: 18:09–24:42
• Targeted Advertising Critique: 25:05–31:40
• Big Tech & the Political Parties: 34:42–36:30
• Advice for Conservative Voters: 36:56–40:13
• Generational Problem & Gen Z Hope: 40:30–44:42
• Teal Fellowship and “Drop Out of College” Advocacy: 44:47–46:38

Conclusion

Blake Masters presents a technologist’s inside view on Big Tech’s outsized influence and offers bold, systematic solutions. Both he and Charlie Kirk urge conservatives not merely to “vote the right way” but to demand future-focused leadership ready to update old strategies and defend American civil society. The conversation is energetic, candid, and loaded with actionable ideas for the future of tech—and of the conservative movement.