How the FCC's 'warrior for free speech' became our censor in chief

Brendan Carr's appointment to FCC chair was hailed as a "warrior for free speech" Peter Bergen says he's "constantly trying to attack and suppress and punish speech" Bergen : "I think he's the most antifree speech FCC chair that we've had, as long as I can remember".

Carr said the FCC should "clarify" the interpretation of Section 230 to "appropriately limit the number of cases in which a platform can censor" Carr cited an October 2020 memo by FCC then-General Counsel Thomas Johnson Jr. to say the FCC does have the authority to interpret Section 230 .

But Johnson 's memo was released just two weeks before the 2020 election, and his theory was never put into practice.

The FCC chair has signaled that he won't make it easy on CBS .

Carr 's conduct indicates someone willing to use his power in government to benefit his political allies.

In December , Carr sent a letter to the CEO of Disney , which owns ABC , warning that "the FCC will be compelled to act".