Trump FCC pick says bringing 'censorship cartel' to heel will be a 'top' priority: 'It's got to end'

Bringing the "censorship cartel" to heel is slated to be a top priority for incoming Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr.

On Sunday, the Trump-appointed lead spelled out how the incoming administration's commitment to protecting free speech might translate across social media and beyond.

"You mentioned Facebook and other companies. They've been part of a censorship cartel that have worked with advertisers. They've worked with government officials to censor the free speech rights of everyday Americans, and that's got to end because censorship isn't just about stopping work. It's about stopping ideas."

"America is a country of founders, of people that have pushed boundaries, pushed frontiers. They've innovated and, when you silence speech, you silence ideas, and we unleash America's prosperity again. That's why you feel this vibe shifting in the country where people know President Trump is about to lead another great American comeback, because this wet blanket of government control is going away, and our economy is going to flourish again."

Big Tech companies have long received criticism for allegedly stifling free speech and operating with a liberal bias, perhaps most infamously when Twitter removed the Hunter Biden laptop story from its platform prior to the Elon Musk takeover and various platforms, including Facebook, censored content branded as COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic.

With the changing of the guard coming next month, Zuckerberg reportedly dined with President-elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

"Obviously, he has his own interests, and he has his own company, and he has his own agenda," he said. "But he's made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under President Trump's leadership."