For immediate release: December 1, 2021

978-852-6457

The Senate must confirm FCC and FTC nominees to take on Big Tech and Big Telecom monopolies

Today the Senate Commerce Committee will vote on nominees Alvaro M. Bedoya (FTC) and Jessica Rosenworcel (FCC), and hold confirmation hearings for nominees Gigi Sohn (FCC) and Alan Davidson (NTIA). 

Digital rights group Fight for the Future issued the following statement, which can be attributed to the group’s director, Evan Greer (she/her): 

“For far too long federal agencies like the FCC have been essentially captured by the industries they are supposed to be overseeing. It’s time to close the revolving door for good. Today the Senate has an opportunity to advance four highly qualified nominees who are true champions for the public interest. 

Alvaro Bedoya is a privacy champion who will bring much needed expertise to the FTC as it works to address the harm of Big Tech’s surveillance-driven business model. Gigi Sohn is a pragmatic and passionate advocate for free speech who will work tirelessly to ensure everyone has access to an affordable, open Internet. Jessica Rosenworcel and Alan Davidson are knowledgeable professionals who can help get their agencies back to working for the public.

The Senate should advance all of these nominees quickly, and the FCC and FTC should move quickly to take aim at privacy violations, ensure affordable broadband access, and protect online free expression and human rights.”

To learn more about why a functional FCC is more important now than ever, read Greer’s recent op-ed in Vice: Restore Net Neutrality, or Facebook will Dominate the Internet Forever.

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