President Biden named Lina Khan, a prominent critic of Big Tech, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, according to two people who know the decision, a move that signals the agency is likely to continue cracking down on the giants of the industry.
A public announcement of the decision is expected on Tuesday, one of the people said.
Earlier in the day, the Senate voted 69-28 in favor of Ms. Khan, 32, for a seat on the agency. The commission investigates antitrust violations, fraudulent trade practices and data protection violations in Silicon Valley.
Ms. Khan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In her new role, Ms. Khan will help regulate the behavior that has been highlighted for years by critics from Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple. Speaking before a Senate committee in April, she said she was concerned about how tech companies could use their power to dominate new markets. She first drew attention to herself as a critic of Amazon. The authority is investigating the trading giant and filed an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook last year.
Her appointment was a victory for progressive activists who want Mr. Biden to take a tough line against big corporations. He also gave Tim Wu, a law professor who has criticized the power of tech giants, a job in the White House.
But Mr Biden has another key position charged with regulating the industry: someone who heads the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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