attribution Andrew Ferguson As the new head of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by Donald Trump It announces a significant change in the approach of this institution towards the regulation of technology giants and artificial intelligence. Ferguson’s comments represent a moderate view that, while critical of the performance of large tech companies, is wary of placing too many restrictions on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
According to Reuters, Ferguson is critical of calls for immediate and strict rules in the field of artificial intelligence. He believes that excessive regulation could stifle innovation, strengthen the dominance of big tech companies, and shift the development of artificial intelligence to countries that may not align with US interests. In a statement in September, he called such an approach “wrong” and emphasized the need for a balanced framework; A framework that, while supporting innovation, eliminates possible risks such as discrimination caused by artificial intelligence.
Online privacy
Online privacy is another top priority for Ferguson. He described the current state of data collection and storage in the United States as an “online privacy crisis” that needs the attention of lawmakers. However, he opposes strict limits on the use of this data for targeted advertising, warning that such restrictions could destabilize the online economy. Instead, he advocates for comprehensive legislation to protect user data and maintain economic balance.
Content management policies
Ferguson is a vocal critic of social media platforms’ content management policies, describing them as “Orwellian” and overly vague. Orwellianism is an adjective that refers to behaviors and policies of control through propaganda, surveillance, eavesdropping, false news, denial of the truth, and manipulation of the past.
In his opinion, terms such as “false information”, “misleading information” and “hate speech” used by different platforms for managing content do not have the necessary transparency and can lead to misleading users.
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Ferguson suggests that the FTC take action against platforms whose content moderation policies are found to be deceptive. He wants to help users make an informed decision about whether to stay on a platform by advocating for greater transparency.
Antitrust concerns and cross-platform cooperation
Ferguson expresses concern about the possibility of collusion between social platforms. He has mentioned things like the coordinated shutdown of Trump’s account in 2021 and the suppression of certain types of content during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ferguson says that if collusion between the platforms is proven, actions like those may have violated antitrust laws.
collusion of advertisers
The proposed FTC chief has also investigated collusion among advertisers to influence platforms’ policies. Ferguson pointed to coalitions such as the now-defunct Global Alliance for Responsible Media and warned that they might be violating antitrust laws if their efforts lead to collective boycotts of various platforms. He emphasized that similar practices may require an FTC investigation.
Supporting children and teenagers online
Ferguson has called for stronger laws to protect children and teens online. He supports legislation that would allow parents to monitor and control their children’s online activities. This law allows families to control the level of monitoring of their children’s digital activities at will.
