New Leadership, New Direction: FTC's Road Ahead

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Andrew Ferguson to lead the FTC. Ferguson prioritizes combating perceived censorship of conservative views online. His leadership may impact ongoing antitrust cases against large tech firms like Amazon and Meta, as well as maintain existing investigations into companies like Microsoft and OpenAI.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Andrew Ferguson as the new head of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), tasking him with addressing consumer protection and antitrust issues. Ferguson has emphasized the need to challenge perceived censorship of conservative views on social media platforms.

Ferguson's stance suggests that platforms collaborating to suppress conservative opinions or corporations coordinating to pull advertising could face charges under U.S. antitrust law. This position reflects a continuation of the FTC's active role in antitrust enforcement, a hallmark of outgoing Chair Lina Khan's tenure.

Ferguson's leadership could influence the agency's approach to ongoing cases against major technology companies like Amazon and Meta. Additionally, there are unresolved investigations involving Microsoft and OpenAI, which may see new direction under his guidance.

(With inputs from agencies.)