Section 5 · Independent Regulatory Agencies
📶Ch. 28 — Federal Communications Commission
FCC · 12 tracked
Impose broadband-style transparency and appeals rules on Big Tech platforms
Proposed
FCC should require Big Tech to disclose practices akin to broadband transparency rules, specify terms of service, ban actions inconsistent with those terms, and mandate transparent appeals for pretextual takedowns—citing Section 230 and Consolidated Reporting Act authority.
End government-funded overbuilding; national broadband coordination; USF efficiency review
Proposed
Mandate says agencies should steer broadband dollars only to unserved areas (end ARPA-style overbuild of existing high-speed networks), adopt a national coordinating strategy across 100+ programs/15 agencies, and have FCC review USF components for duplication/waste.
Publish foreign-adversary ownership list; fully fund rip-and-replace; Clean Standards Initiative
Proposed
FCC should publish entities with >10% ownership by China/Russia/Iran/Syria/North Korea holding FCC authorities; fully fund Huawei/ZTE rip-and-replace (≈$3B shortfall, prefer unused COVID funds); and launch a Clean Standards Initiative against CCP standards influence.
Extend small-cell-style streamlining to wireline; speed federal-land reviews; expedite LEO satellites
Proposed
FCC should impose fee/time limits on local wireline permitting like prior small-cell reforms; Administration should force timely BLM/USFS broadband reviews; FCC should expedite low-earth-orbit satellite application approvals (Starlink/Kuiper class).
Use FCC license-transfer merger reviews and broadband framework against Big Tech power
Proposed
Mandate’s overview stresses FCC authority over net-neutrality/broadband frameworks and that mergers involving wireless/broadcast license holders must obtain FCC approval—tools nested under the chapter’s Big Tech accountability agenda.
Top-to-bottom deregulation: rescind outdated media-ownership and siloed USF rules
Proposed
FCC should review and rescind overly cumbersome/outdated regulations—including media ownership rules premised on obsolete advertising markets—and rely more on cable/broadband/satellite competition.
Support legislation scrapping 230 carte blanche and applying antidiscrimination to Big Tech
Proposed
FCC should work with Congress on reforms so platforms cannot censor protected speech while keeping 230 benefits, applying antidiscrimination (including to hosting/DDoS backends) along Texas social-media-law lines, focused on dominant general-use platforms.
FCC order narrowing Section 230(c)(1) immunities; track NTIA petition
Proposed
Mandate says FCC should interpret Section 230 to eliminate expansive non-textual immunities courts added, clarifying (c)(1) applies only when platforms do not remove others’ content and (c)(2) covers restriction decisions—tracking the July 2020 NTIA petition.
Refill commercial spectrum pipeline; White House–Congress spectrum coordination process
Proposed
FCC and Administration should develop a national spectrum strategy freeing airwaves for commercial wireless on an aggressive timeline, and the White House should work with Congress on a coordination process resolving commercial-vs-federal spectrum conflicts (citing FAA mid-band disputes).
Comprehensive plan to stop U.S. entities aiding China’s malign AI goals
Proposed
Mandate says U.S. businesses aid Beijing’s AI ambitions by feeding datasets and providing high-powered cloud computing; the Administration should plan to stop U.S. entities from directly or indirectly contributing to China’s malign AI goals.
Ban TikTok; update Covered List; close unregulated China Telecom end run
Proposed
If Treasury inaction continues, Mandate says a new Administration should ban TikTok; expand/update the FCC Covered List for CCP-tied gear; and close the loophole allowing banned carriers like China Telecom to offer private/unregulated data-center services—e.g., by barring regulated carriers from interconnecting with insecure providers.
Empower user filters/age controls; make Big Tech contribute to Universal Service Fund
Proposed
Mandate urges FCC/Congress rules empowering user-chosen filters/fact-checkers and stronger child age-gating, and says Congress should require Big Tech to contribute appropriately to the ~$9B USF (while noting some conservatives prefer appropriations reform instead).