Elon Musk in 'Unprecedented' Position Over Rural Internet: Former FCC head
Source: Newsweek
Published Dec 01, 2024 at 11:07 AM EST
A former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Director, Blair Levin, has expressed concerns about Elon Musk's potential conflict of interest in shaping internet access for underserved regions through his satellite company Starlink, now that he is heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program.
Musk, appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to co-lead a commission aimed at downsizing the federal government, the DOGE, may seek to reduce funding for rural broadband in a move that could benefit Starlink, according to reports.
In response to the idea that Musk could leverage DOGE for personal gain and undermine funding for rural broadband services to benefit Starlink, Levin, a telecommunications industry analyst, called the situation "unprecedented."
"We have never had a situation where the leading shareholder of a communications company has both a position—both in terms of influencing the president, but also having an assignment to drive efficiency in government—with so many government contracts," said Levin, a U.S. lawyer formerly with the FCC, who served as the executive director of the National Broadband Plan from 2009 to 2010.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-unprecedented-position-over-rural-internet-1993773
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