In Firing The Two Democratic FTC Commissioners, Pres. Trump Places Every American Consumer At Grave Risk
Statement of Jeff Chester, executive director, Center for Digital Democracy
March 19, 2025
In a country where illegality is quickly replacing the rule of law, the action yesterday by Pres. Trump ending the decades of bi-partisan operations at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may seem insignificant. But for anyone concerned about lower grocery prices, protecting privacy online, consumer protections for your money when buying goods and services, or whether children and teens can use the Internet without mass surveillance and manipulation, they should be very, very worried.
Why did Pres. Trump do this now? It’s because the U.S. is on the verge of a transformation of how we shop, buy, view and interact with businesses online and offline—due to the confluence of Generative Artificial Intelligence, expansion of pervasive data gathering and personalized profiling, and the deepening of alliances and partnerships across Big Tech, Big Data, retailers, supermarkets, hospitals, databrokers, streaming TV networks and many others. Trump’s allies—especially Amazon, Google, Meta/Facebook, and TikTok—do not want any safeguards, oversight or accountability—especially at this time when immense profits are to be made for themselves. The Trump Administration is rewarding the very same billionaires and Tech Giants who are responsible for raising the prices we pay for groceries, obliterating our data privacy, and making it unsafe for kids to go on social media.
Consumer advocates won’t be silent here, of course, and we will document and sound the alarm as Americans are increasingly victimized by Big Tech and large supermarket chains. The FTC has been transformed into a Trump Administration and special interest lapdog—instead of the federal watchdog guarding the interests and welfare of the public. Americans who struggle to make ends meet—whether they need help securing refunds, recovering from scams, or ensuring fair treatment—will be especially harmed. But let’s be clear. The action of the Trump Administration to remove the FTC as a serious consumer protection agency has helped make every American further unsafe.
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