WBUR: A Boston billionaire says we need a new internet — so he’s funding one

Jun 12 WBUR radio boston Yasmin amer & Zeninjor enwemeka

Boston billionaire Frank McCourt thinks the internet is broken. He goes so far as to say the way we use the internet today robs us of “our humanity” and “our personhood.”

The real estate developer and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers wants a new internet. And he’s willing to put up $500 million of his own money to build one.

In 2021, McCourt launched the nonprofit, Project Liberty. Among other things, the organization is building new technology, as well as bidding to buy the social media platform TikTok. In April, Congress passed legislation to require the app’s Beijing-based owner, ByteDance, to sell TikTok to an American subsidiary or face a ban in the U.S. The legislation is currently facing legal challenges.

Frank McCourt joined WBUR’s Radio Boston to talk about his mission, his Boston roots and his recent book, “Our Biggest Fight.”

Listen to the full interview or read the highlights on WBUR’s website.

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