Biden to nominate tech critic Lina Khan to lead FTC
Khan's criticism of Big Tech could be a bigger headache for Silicon Valley.
- She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
President Joe Biden has tapped Lina Khan for the FTC.
US President Joe Biden said Monday that he will nominate antitrust advocate and monopoly critic Lina Khan to become a commissioner with the Federal Trade Commission. Khan would become the third Democratic commissioner on the FTC, with the two remaining seats held by Republicans. The FTC describes its role as protecting consumers and promoting competition, which includes overseeing privacy and data security
Khan has previously provided counsel to the US House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, aiding in the investigation of digital markets related to Google, Apple and other Big Tech companies. Khan is an associate professor of law at Columbia Law School, where she teaches and writes about antitrust law, infrastructure industries law and the anti-monopoly tradition.
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Khan also served as legal director at the Open Markets Institute, an organization that uses research and journalism to combat corporate monopoly power. Khan and FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra also wrote an essay last year about the need for clearly defined rules for companies and violation of competition laws.
"I congratulate Lina Khan on her nomination," Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, acting Federal Trade Commission chairwoman, said in a statement Monday. "Her creative energy, groundbreaking antitrust work, and passion for the FTC's mission make her an excellent nominee. I wish her a speedy confirmation."