On Sunday night, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Big Tech’s No. 1 enemy, Brendan Carr, to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
A vocal critic of social media platforms, Carr plans to take an ultra hands-on approach to regulating the internet giants, expanding the power of the low-key agency currently tasked with licensing TV airwaves, regulating phone rates, and expanding internet access.
Big plans for Big Tech
Carr authored the FCC chapter of Project 2025, a wish list of conservative policy proposals for the incoming administration:
- He advocated for ending the treatment of companies like Meta and Alphabet as neutral platforms, which allows them to remove content based on their moderation policies.
- He’s called for more transparency around social media algorithms.
- Carr favors a TikTok ban on national security grounds, which is at odds with Trump’s position.
Meanwhile, he has also bashed traditional media: Carr supports action against TV networks for alleged political bias against Trump, which they’ve denied.
Who stands to gain? Elon Musk, who has been an ally. Carr is expected to send FCC funds to Musk’s satellite company Starlink for rural internet expansion. And X could benefit from harsher regulation of its social media rivals. Carr’s aim to “dismantle the [social media] censorship cartel,” earned “based” designation from Musk.—SK