I talk with Christopher Bedford, a founding partner at RightForge, about building a new internet infrastructure company in the shadow of big tech. RightForge is an internet infrastructure provider that claims to be a first of its kind company operating infrastructure while being committed to American ideals online. RightForge is positioning themselves to be a key player for enabling independent free speech platforms to operate outside the gargantuan grasp of big tech providers like Amazon (operator of AWS). With many questions being raised around what constitutes free speech online and when platforms should or shouldn't be allowed to take action against users, RightForge seems positioned well for users who lean towards wanting a more open internet and are concerned about being deplatformed at the infrastructure level.

I chatted with Chris about his experiences building a new internet infrastructure provider in an already mature and established industry, what inspired him and his partners to found the company, and the American ideals he sees as a guide to how RightForge should operate and find its niche. I think an overall theme here is looking at why independent platforms may be the future and why RightForge is needed the facilitate new tech entrants build around free speech and American ideals.

See more 👀 of our interviews with founders, economists, scholars, and business mavens on this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_K104J9GHJaQENCpllXso5Rf-t-Uc_x5

00:00 - Subscribe and Fight Big Tech
00:23 - What is RightForge and why was the company founded?
03:41 - What clients are using RightForge today?
05:55 - Why are alternatives to big tech needed?
11:16 - Who would've thought you could start a infrastructure company in 2022!
16:15 - Has big tech lost control?
20:08 - What challenges come with building a company that doesn't falter on American ideals?
24:57 - The market for RightForge
28:32 - Will this come back to bite big tech?
30:26 - Closing thoughts

Originally Aired: 02/21/22
#independentplatforms #platformbuilding #freespeechplatforms—