Adam Candeub to Join Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as General Counsel

Background and Experience

Adam Candeub, a well-known critic of Big Tech, is poised to join the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as its general counsel. This appointment has been confirmed by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, according to reports by Semafor. TechCrunch has reached out to the FCC for more information on this development.

Criticism of Section 230

Candeub has been a vocal critic of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. This section protects tech companies and online service providers from prosecution based on what their users post on their platforms. The argument against repealing Section 230 is that tech entities, including social media companies, would become liable for what is posted on their platforms, which could lead to censorship.

Petitions and Challenges

In 2020, Candeub was one of the lead writers of an administrative petition that asked the FCC to get involved with the ongoing debates around social media content moderation. The debates were sparked after Donald Trump accused social media sites of censoring conservative voices after companies like X — Twitter at the time — moderated his inaccurate claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Previous Attempts to Curb Section 230’s Power

Candeub’s attempt to curb Section 230’s power in 2020 was unsuccessful. More recent challenges have also failed. In 2023, the Supreme Court took Google and Twitter’s respective sides in adjacent cases that tried to hold the platforms accountable for allowing content from the Islamic State that promoted the terrorist organization.

Joining the FCC

Candeub joins the FCC alongside Chairman Carr, who has already been vocal about hoping for changes to Section 230 during this administration. Candeub previously served as an advisor to the FCC in the early 2000s. He joined the Trump Administration in 2019 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Telecommunications and Information and also assumed the role of Acting Assistant Secretary. He joined the Department of Justice as Deputy Associate Attorney General in the waning weeks of Trump’s presidency in late 2020. Candeub is currently a law professor at Michigan State University; he first joined its law faculty back in 2004.

Conclusion

The appointment of Adam Candeub as general counsel to the FCC is a significant development in the ongoing debate around Section 230. With Candeub’s experience and background, the FCC is likely to take a strong stance on this issue. The conversation around Section 230 is already likely to come up during this administration, and Candeub’s appointment is a clear indication of the FCC’s intentions.