Ajit Pai

Chairman

Federal Communications Commission

Ajit Pai

Chairman

Federal Communications Commission

Ajit Pai is the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. He was designated Chairman by President Donald J. Trump in January 2017. He had previously served as Commissioner at the FCC, appointed by then-President Barack Obama and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate in May 2012.

Regulatory Philosophy

Chairman Pai’s regulatory philosophy is informed by a few simple principles. Rules that reflect these principles will result in more innovation, more investment, better products and services, lower prices, more job creation, and faster economic growth.

  • Consumers benefit most from competition, not preemptive regulation. Free markets have delivered more value to American consumers than highly regulated ones.
  • No regulatory system should indulge arbitrage; regulators should be skeptical of pleas to regulate rivals, dispense favors, or otherwise afford special treatment.
  • Particularly given how rapidly the communications sector is changing, the FCC should do everything it can to ensure that its rules reflect the realities of the current marketplace and basic principles of economics.
  • As a creature of Congress, the FCC must respect the law as set forth by the legislature.
  • The FCC is at its best when it proceeds on the basis of consensus; good communications policy knows no partisan affiliation.

A person listed as a contributor has spoken or otherwise participated in Regulatory Transparency Project events, publications, or multimedia presentations. A person's appearance on the website does not imply an endorsement or relationship between the person and the Regulatory Transparency Project. The Regulatory Transparency Project takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues. All expressions of opinion by a contributor are those of the contributor.

Contributions

Deep Dive Episode 149 – A Conversation with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

December 8, 2020

On November 30, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai joined the Federalist Society’s Columbia Student Chapter for a wide-ranging discussion on net neutrality, Section 230, and more.

Listen to this podcast

A Conversation with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

December 8, 2020

On November 30, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai joined the Federalist Society’s Columbia Student Chapter for a wide-ranging discussion on net neutrality, Section 230, and more.

Watch this video

Tech Roundup Episode 9 – COVID-19 and the Internet: A Conversation with Ajit Pai

April 27, 2020

In this episode, Ajit Pai joins Adam Theirer and Brent Skorup to discuss the principles driving the Federal Communications Commission in recent years, the “Keep Americans Connected” pledge, and how things have changed for the FCC in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Listen to this podcast

Deep Dive Episode 103 – Ajit Pai: The FCC and the Pandemic

April 13, 2020

Listen as Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai discusses how the FCC is addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. What measures has the FCC taken to date, and what is planned in the future?

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