This Week in Tech (TWiT) – Episode 1024: "Payday Loan Burrito"

Date: March 24, 2025
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Harry McCracken (Fast Company), Fr. Robert Ballecer (The Vatican), Patrick Beja (France)

Episode Overview

This episode features a roundtable analysis of the week’s top tech stories, including the tumult at Intel, the uncertain fate of TikTok, EU and US tech regulation, Section 230's future, self-driving technology, the ongoing debate about platform monopolies, and signs of economic strain in tech-adjacent consumer behavior. The conversation ranges from high-level business strategy to granular regulatory implications, all imbued with the hosts' classic wit and cross-continental perspectives.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Future of Intel — Boardroom Uncertainty and Strategy

[05:00–15:00]

• Intel's new CEO, Lip Bhutan, is advancing the Intel Vision conference to address investor and public uncertainty surrounding the company's direction.
• Patrick Beja notes:

  "Whatever he says, he has to announce the strategy for the next few years and whatever he says at least, we'll know." [05:37]

• While some analysts speculate Intel might break up and spin out its foundry business, panelists note that the foundry is a strategic asset, especially amid supply chain concerns and global chip protectionism post-COVID.
• Harry McCracken expresses skepticism about the integration strategy:

  "Pat Gelsinger tried something similar ... but they had to cancel their big conference during the pandemic and just broadcast with no one there." [06:15]

• Comparison with Apple, Microsoft, and Google suggests all legacy tech giants are struggling to innovate under the weight of their heritage products.
• Discussion of the CHIPS Act, Trump’s opposition, and global chip independence.
• Memorable quote:
  Fr. Robert: "If they sell off the foundries, Intel is as good as dead ... they have to announce they're shooting for a new processor fabric or it's just going to be ... oh, the next chip's going to be slightly faster, and that's not going to cut it." [10:09]

2. EU Tech Regulation: Apple, DMA/DSA, and Developer Frustrations

[15:00–32:00]

• The panel explains the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) and how Apple is being pressured to open core iOS functionalities to competitors.
• Patrick Beja:

  "The issue is fair competition...if you don't have free and open competition in a market, the machine is stuck. And currently, we have several markets where competition is arguably not free and open." [17:58]

• Fr. Robert offers the security perspective, emphasizing that opening closed systems can expose flaws but also facilitates faster security patching.
• Harry recounts Eric Migicovsky’s (Pebble) complaints over iOS restrictions limiting third-party device functionality versus Android's openness.
• The group discusses Apple's argument of "security versus competition," noting how the market (and Apple's dominance) may or may not justify their walled-garden stance.
• Notable exchange:
  Leo Laporte: "So do you punish a company that's that successful?"
  Patrick Beja: "No, you don't punish them. You enable competition, which is the bedrock of capitalism." [23:25]

3. Section 230 and Online Speech: Looming Legislative Threats

[49:00–61:00]

• Pending US legislation threatens Section 230, which protects interactive service providers from liability for user content.
• Leo Laporte:

  “If that happens, I probably would shut down our forums, I would shut down our Mastodon, I would turn off comments because I can’t afford to go to court to defend somebody’s posts on our sites.” [51:52]

• The panel explains Section 230’s nuances, including the moderation carve-outs for illegal content.
• Patrick Beja: "Mike Masnik, at TechDirt, has a brilliant paper up that essentially says, yes, it is incompetence that is the issue. They don't understand what the law does." [53:55]
• All agree that removing Section 230 would devastate small web publishers, forums, and independent sites, not just hurt Big Tech.

4. Google News Link Tax, AI News Aggregation, and the Future of Journalism

[39:42–48:00]

• Google conducted an experiment removing news links for some European users, finding almost no change in engagement or ad revenue—a warning to publishers pushing for "link tax" laws.
• Patrick Beja:

  "The newspaper industry has no leverage on Google ... you keep saying that you provide value to us. We assure you that's not the case." [41:30]

• The conversation expands to AI aggregators like Perplexity, which synthesize information from news content without driving traffic.
• Discussion highlights that while publishers want compensation, removing news links hurts them more than platforms.
• Harry and Patrick note that AI training on pirated or purchased content is a separate, thorny issue.

5. TikTok’s Fate & Platform Influence Campaigns

[81:30–94:00]

• The US is nearing a decision on TikTok—will it be banned, sold, or locked down?
• Security concerns shift from data (which China/Russia can obtain via data brokers anyway) to algorithmic influence as a vehicle for propaganda.
• Patrick Beja:

  "The algorithm can present to you disinformation, misinformation ... that is a political weapon." [84:02]

• Evidence cited from Taiwan and the US: TikTok algorithm shapes user sentiment, sometimes favoring foreign interests.
• Fr. Robert points out the broader issue:

  "The problem that you described, it's not a TikTok problem, it's a social media problem. I can do exactly the same thing on Meta or Twitter."

• The hosts note Meta’s possible benefit if TikTok is banned and the challenge of focusing policy on platform ownership versus systematic information warfare.

6. Telegram, Encryption, and Law Enforcement

[100:00–107:00]

• Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov was detained in France over Telegram’s lack of cooperation with law enforcement on criminal matters.
• Patrick clarifies:

  "It wasn't about encryption. It's not like the French government or the authorities were trying to get into private messages. It was really like at some point you're like, come on man, we're just asking, we're being reasonable." [101:14]

• Telegram increases responsiveness to legal requests for metadata, not message content. The “war on encryption” in France and elsewhere continues, but the immediate spat was about basic law enforcement needs.

7. Self-Driving Cars: Waymo’s Quiet Dominance

[67:00–76:00]

• Harry’s new Fast Company story covers Waymo’s spread in San Francisco and the quiet arrival of robo-taxis as reality, not hype.
• Patrick Beja:

  "The hype cycle is burying the fact that we essentially have self-driving cars in many—well, not everywhere—but they're here, and 10 years ago we were like, 'oh, they're coming,' and now they're here." [75:38]

• The group jokes about challenges self-driving vehicles would face in chaotic overseas driving environments, such as Paris’s Arc de Triomphe and old Rome.

8. Fusion Power & the Post-Scarcity Dream

[130:00–134:00]

• French scientists set a new record maintaining a plasma field for nuclear fusion, but practical fusion energy remains decades out.
• Patrick notes the societal impact if fusion delivers:

  "Imagine a world, it changes everything ... where energy is essentially free. It is insane the impact on society that it would have." [132:54]

• In the meantime, next-gen fission is cleaner and safer, but public perception and past disasters continue to hinder adoption.

9. Signs of Economic Strain: 'Payday Loan Burrito'

[154:40–157:50]

• DoorDash teams with Klarna to let users buy fast food on installment, fueling panelist concern that this is evidence of rising food insecurity and predatory lending.
• Fr. Robert Ballecer:

  "If you're taking a loan to DoorDash, they should have a partnership with an addiction specialist because you're doing something wrong in your life and you need to fix it right away." [157:55]

• Patrick points out European countries rely much less on consumer debt, reflecting on differences in financial culture.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Apple and EU regulation:
  "The irony is that the reason Apple is so dominant is because they have made this closed, convenient, super controlled system and users do love it and that’s why they’re so strong ... The problem is they're so dominant that competition doesn't exist anymore." — Patrick Beja [22:43]

• On Section 230 fallout:
  "If this passes, I will then shut down all of our interactive content, all of our chat rooms ... X isn't going to go away. Facebook's not going to go away. They can afford this." — Leo Laporte [56:47]

• On TikTok as an influence vehicle:
  "TikTok being a major source of information in a country becomes a problem because the algorithm can be tweaked ... which can present to you disinformation, misinformation… It is a political weapon." — Patrick Beja [84:02]

• On the existential risk for small websites if Section 230 is repealed:
  "We could not afford this, and we would be immediately attacked by people who would sue us, and that would be that." — Leo Laporte [55:46]

• On clear signs of economic hardship:
  "If a society creates situations where people have to get a loan to buy a burrito, is the problem with the person getting a loan to buy a burrito or the society?" — Patrick Beja [155:13]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [05:00–15:00] – Intel’s future and the struggle of legacy tech giants
• [17:00–32:00] – EU Tech regulation, Apple, DMA/DSA, and developer complaints
• [49:00–61:00] – Section 230, online speech, and the risk to independent sites
• [39:42–48:00] – Google News link tax, AI, and news industry power dynamics
• [81:30–94:00] – TikTok’s fate, algorithmic manipulation, and social media’s dangers
• [100:00–107:00] – Telegram, encryption, and criminal law cooperation
• [67:00–76:00] – Self-driving cars update
• [130:00–134:00] – French fusion power milestone and energy future
• [154:40–157:50] – DoorDash ‘Pay Later’ burritos as economic metaphor

Tone and Style

The tone is genial, engaged, and candid, with each panelist contributing both expert insight and regional perspective (US, EU/Vatican/France). Humor is frequent—even in contemplating existential risks to the Internet, the group finds space for irony and camaraderie. Leo’s facilitation keeps the show grounded even as discussions spiral from chips and laws to philosophy and economic decline.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a far-reaching tour of this week’s most urgent tech stories, blending regulatory, business, and consumer perspectives. Whether it’s the future of Intel, policy battles over platform dominance, the fragility of online speech protections, or the everyday signals of economic distress, the hosts deliver clarity, context, and humanity—a vital listen for anyone trying to make sense of the shifting world of technology.

For more from the panelists:

• Patrick Beja: NotPatrick.com | Bluesky
• Harry McCracken: FastCompany.com | HarryMcCracken.com
• Fr. Robert Ballecer: JesuitPilgrimage.app | Bluesky
• Host Leo Laporte: TWiT.tv

Next episode: Sunday, 2–5 pm PT / 5–8 pm ET / 21:00 UTC