Washington – As President-elect Donald Trump gears up for his second term, he is outlining his plans for technology policy, which could have a big impact on major tech companies and the apps people use every day.
Trump has often talked about taking action against big tech firms, surrounding himself with people who share this goal. However, in recent weeks, he has started to reach out to industry leaders he has publicly criticized in the past. For instance, his inaugural fund has received significant contributions from top executives like Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Jeff Bezos from Amazon, and Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Even Elon Musk, the head of X, has called himself one of Trump’s “first buddies.”
“I want to get ideas from them. Look, we want them to do well,” Trump said, showing he is open to collaborating with these tech giants.
Tech companies, especially those in social media, are aware that challenges may be coming their way. Trump has accused them of silencing conservative voices, and concerns about privacy and child safety have become issues that both political parties are looking into. This means these companies could face even more scrutiny in the future.
Brendan Carr, who Trump has chosen to lead the Federal Communications Commission, has talked about wanting to change how the FCC operates. He noted, “For too long, Republicans just stood back and said if a corporation wants to do something, who are we to stop them? And Democrats thought, well, they agree with us, so we won’t challenge them. I believe that time is over.”
Carr is pushing for easier paths to sue social media companies over how they manage content. This could lead to a scenario where platforms have to either refrain from moderation entirely or review every piece of content, which would significantly change the online environment.
The popular app TikTok is also uncertain about its future in the U.S., with a potential Supreme Court decision looming. If President Biden does not extend the deadline for the app’s sale from its Chinese parent company, TikTok could face serious consequences. Trump noted, “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points—and some say TikTok played a role in that.”
In addition, giants like Google and Apple are under the microscope, especially with Gail Slater nominated to lead the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. She is expected to carry on with ongoing investigations against these companies, which are accused of engaging in unfair competition.
When announcing Slater’s nomination, Trump remarked, “Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and using its power to undermine the rights of many Americans, as well as those of smaller tech firms!”
As Trump’s administration begins to take shape, the tech industry is left wondering whether he will actually implement his plans to rein in big tech companies or if he will instead lean towards working collaboratively with industry leaders.
