### Brendan Carr’s FCC Agenda: Data Caps, Big Tech, and SpaceX Funding
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a Republican who has consistently opposed net neutrality and various broadband regulations, has presented a vision for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that could fundamentally alter U.S. telecommunications policy. Serving on the FCC since 2017, Carr is considered a strong contender to head the agency if a second Trump administration emerges. His policy goals, outlined in his contributions to the conservative Heritage Foundation’s *Project 2025*, prioritize the deregulation of Internet service providers (ISPs), enhanced scrutiny of Big Tech, and a potential shift in governmental funding for broadband infrastructure.
### Carr’s Position on Data Caps and Broadband Regulation
One of Carr’s more contentious stances is his endorsement of data caps, which numerous consumers perceive as unwarranted limitations on their Internet usage. Data caps restrict the data amount a consumer can utilize before incurring extra charges or experiencing reduced speeds. While many advocates for consumers contend that data caps are anti-competitive and detrimental to users, Carr has defended them as a method to provide more budget-friendly Internet plans. He has maintained that banning data caps would essentially regulate service rates, a power he believes the FCC does not possess.
Carr’s resistance to the FCC’s recent investigation into data caps, launched under Democratic Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, embodies his overarching belief in minimal regulation. He has characterized the inquiry as part of the Biden administration’s “march towards rate regulation” and raised alarms that it might lead to governmental overreach in the broadband sector. Carr’s position is consistent with his greater aim of lessening FCC oversight of ISPs, a viewpoint he has held since working as a legal advisor to former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
### Confronting Big Tech and Section 230
Alongside his backing for ISPs, Carr has called for enhanced regulation of Big Tech companies, especially social media platforms. He has strongly advocated for a reinterpretation of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a statute that protects online platforms from liability for user-generated content. Carr contends that the courts have broadly interpreted Section 230, granting platforms such as Facebook, Twitter (now X), and Google excessive latitude in content moderation.
Carr’s perspective on Section 230 coincides with former President Donald Trump’s initiatives to regulate social media platforms which he and other conservatives allege exhibit anti-conservative bias. In 2020, Trump requested that the FCC reconsider Section 230, but the endeavor stalled after then-Commissioner Michael O’Rielly expressed concerns regarding First Amendment implications. Nevertheless, Carr has persisted in advocating modifications to Section 230, asserting that the FCC possesses the authority to act since the law is part of the Communications Act.
Carr’s concentration on Big Tech also encompasses national security issues, particularly concerning TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app. He has urged the FCC to tackle what he perceives as the national security threats associated with TikTok, claiming that the platform could be exploited by the Chinese government to sway American public opinion.
### Targeting NBC and Media Regulation
Carr has garnered attention for his critique of major media outlets, notably NBC. In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, Carr accused NBC of breaching the FCC’s Equal Time rule by featuring then-Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris on *Saturday Night Live*. The Equal Time rule mandates broadcasters to provide equal airtime to all legally qualified political candidates if they offer time to one candidate. Carr argued that NBC’s choice to showcase Harris was a clear attempt to circumvent the rule, although media advocacy groups and legal experts have noted that NBC indeed provided equal time to the Trump campaign.
Carr’s reproach of NBC is part of a larger trend of targeting media organizations he believes are biased against conservatives. He has suggested that the FCC should contemplate penalties, including license revocations, for broadcasters that contravene the Equal Time rule or engage in other perceived biases. Though Carr’s capacity to take unilateral action is restricted, his beliefs imply that a Carr-led FCC might adopt a more proactive approach against media organizations perceived as adversarial to conservative perspectives.
### Funding for SpaceX and Broadband Expansion
Carr has also been a robust supporter of augmenting government funding for broadband infrastructure, particularly for satellite-based Internet services like Elon Musk’s Starlink. In 2022, the FCC turned down SpaceX’s request for $886 million in government funding, citing worries about the capacity and dependability of Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite technology. Carr has been sharply critical of this decision, accusing the Biden administration of politically targeting Musk’s businesses.
Carr’s advocacy for Starlink aligns with a wider push to improve broadband access in rural and underserved communities. He has argued that the FCC should establish a “market
