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US: Does Trump plan to gut all FCC Consumer protection powers

By  |  January 18, 2017

President-elect Donald Trump met with Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai this weekend as many wonder what direction his administration will take the agency in. Reports fear the incoming administration intends to gut net neutrality, roll back most consumer broadband protections, and defund and defang the FCC as a broadband consumer watchdog.

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    Pai is widely expected to take over as chairman of the FCC — at least in the interim — once the current chairman, Tom Wheeler, steps down at the end of the week.

    While the extent of reorganization of the agency under Pai, is not yet known, it could very well change how Americans consume video entertainment and how much they pay for it says de New York Post.

    For starters, President-elect Donald Trump is expected to take away from the FCC its oversight of competition and consumer interests, according to a report.

    Those duties could be shifted to the Federal Trade Commission, which already regulates many antitrust issues in Washington, according to the report.

    Trump also has a GOP slot and Democratic spot to fill on the panel. The panel will have a 2-to-1 Republican majority after Wheeler vacates his seat and a 3-2 GOP edge after two new commissioners.

    It’s unclear who else is in the running for chairman or the vacant GOP seat, but Trump’s picks will be closely watched for signs on how he will approach net neutrality and other issues before the agency.

    The Trump-Pai meeting came a day after Multichannel News reported that the president-elect had signed off on a proposal to restructure the FCC, shifting many functions involving competition and consumer protection to the Federal Trade Commission.

    The proposal largely aligns with the philosophies of Pai and Michael O’Rielly, the other GOP member of the commission.

    Full Content: New York Post

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