FTC’s Ferguson Warns Against ‘Danger’ of Tech-Government Collusion

The “danger” of the federal government colluding with “concentrated private power” can’t be overstated, FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson said Thursday. The former Virginia solicitor general noted his state signing onto an amicus brief with 14 other states that sided with Missouri and Louisiana in a social media censorship lawsuit against the Biden administration (see 2405010079). Speaking at a Federalist Society event, Ferguson discussed how Missouri and Louisiana accused Biden officials of “coercing or colluding” with large tech platforms to “drive COVID-19 skepticism” off social media. “I cannot overstate the danger of government colluding with concentrated private power to infringe the liberties of everyone in this room,” he said. Ferguson said more states should assert themselves to protect individual rights when the federal government is “unwilling or unable.” Ferguson lauded Republican efforts in Texas and Florida to pass laws intended to address perceived biases against conservative content on social media. NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association sued to block those laws (see 2402270072). The central government is incapable of “doing anything like Florida and Texas did,” he said. The best governance is done by the people closest to those they govern, meaning state and local authorities, Ferguson said.