Biden Presidency Shifts Tech Focus Toward Broadband Over Big Tech Regulation
President-elect Joe Biden prioritizes broadband expansion and pandemic recovery over regulating major technology companies. However, the ongoing federal antitrust lawsuit against Google continues to move forward.
President-elect Joe Biden keeps relatively quiet about the technology industry throughout his campaign, though he previously expresses a desire to revoke Section 230 and criticizes the close relationship between Silicon Valley and the Obama administration. Despite his past criticisms of tech executives, internet companies rank among his campaign's top donors, and his incoming vice president maintains long-standing ties to the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
Technology policy does not rank high on Biden's list of early priorities, as his transition website highlights only four main areas: covid-19, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change. When technology does appear in his agenda, the focus centers entirely on expanding affordable broadband access so Americans can work, learn, and see doctors, rather than breaking up or regulating major tech monopolies.
While broader tech regulation remains uncertain under the new administration, the federal government's antitrust actions do not simply vanish. The Department of Justice files a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Google in late October, and this significant legal challenge continues to move forward independently of the changing presidential administration.