Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore / CC by 2.0

President-elect Trump has nominated Brendan Carr as the next Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman. Carr, currently the top Republican FCC commissioner, is known for his critical stance on Big Tech regulation and advocacy for free speech.

As commissioner, Carr has actively challenged major tech companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Apple over alleged censorship practices. He recently stated that the FCC must "restore free speech rights for everyday Americans" and has called for dismantling what he terms the "censorship cartel."

Key aspects of Carr's potential chairmanship:

• Authored the FCC chapter in Project 2025, advocating for increased tech company oversight
• Expected to test the FCC's legal authority over tech companies
• Aligns with Trump's criticism of mainstream media outlets

Important context:

• The FCC's authority primarily covers broadcasting, not social media
• Major tech regulation currently falls under FTC and DOJ jurisdiction
• New legislation would be required for FCC oversight of companies like Meta and Alphabet
• FCC cannot regulate broadcast stations' editorial decisions except for obscenity and children's programming rules

Trump praised Carr as "a warrior for free speech" who has fought against regulatory restrictions on American freedoms. Carr has not yet publicly commented on his nomination.

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