Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore / CC by 2.0

President-elect Trump has selected Brendan Carr as the next FCC Chairman. Carr, currently the top Republican commissioner at the FCC, has been an outspoken critic of Big Tech regulation under the Biden administration.

Carr has recently challenged major tech companies including Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Apple over alleged censorship practices. He advocates for dismantling what he calls the "censorship cartel" and restoring free speech rights for Americans.

As potential FCC Chairman, Carr is expected to:

• Push for expanded FCC oversight of tech companies
• Test the legal boundaries of the agency's regulatory authority
• Challenge current broadcast licensing practices

However, the FCC's ability to regulate tech companies faces several limitations:

• The FTC and DOJ maintain primary oversight of Big Tech through antitrust enforcement
• Congressional approval would be needed to expand FCC authority over companies like Meta and Alphabet
• The FCC cannot currently regulate editorial decisions by broadcasters, except for obscenity and children's programming rules

Trump's selection of Carr aligns with his broader media strategy, including recent legal challenges against major news networks and publishers. The appointment signals a potential shift toward more aggressive tech industry oversight, though significant regulatory changes would require legislative action.

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