FTC & Family Values: Is the Internet Under Attack?
- The Federal Trade Commission is facing scrutiny amid accusations of promoting a moral panic and pushing a Christian nationalist vision for the internet.
- Critics argue the workshopS true agenda was to limit internet content to what aligns with the Christian Right, potentially infringing on constitutional rights.
- Jess Miers, an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Akron School of Law, said the invocation of “families” serves as a dog whistle, gesturing toward the...
The FTC‘s internet agenda is under fire. Critics allege the agency is using “family values” to disguise a push for online censorship and surveillance, essentially targeting free speech. This News Directory 3 article dives deep into accusations that the FTC, through workshops and proposed regulations like age verification, is advancing a Christian nationalist vision of the web. The core concern revolves around the potential for restricting access to information and infringing on constitutional rights, particularly the First Amendment.Learn about legal challenges,the implications for both adults and minors,and the heated debates surrounding the FTC’s stance on content moderation. Discover what’s next …
FTC Scrutinized for Internet Censorship Agenda Targeting Free Speech
Updated June 18, 2025
The Federal Trade Commission is facing scrutiny amid accusations of promoting a moral panic and pushing a Christian nationalist vision for the internet. Concerns arose following an FTC workshop on June 4 titled, “The Attention Economy: how Big Tech Firms Exploit Children and Hurt Families.”
Critics argue the workshopS true agenda was to limit internet content to what aligns with the Christian Right, potentially infringing on constitutional rights. Elizabeth Grossman,a law student at the University of Akron,attended the workshop and said the goal was to reduce the Internet to only content approved by the Christian Right,nonetheless of the constitution.
Jess Miers, an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Akron School of Law, said the invocation of “families” serves as a dog whistle, gesturing toward the narrow, heteronormative ideals typically championed by the religious Right: white, patriarchal, Christian, and straight.
A key point of contention involves the FTC’s stance on minors using app stores and age verification laws. Panelists suggested that app stores should require parental consent before allowing minors to create accounts, necessitating age verification.Opponents argue this sidesteps constitutional concerns about restricting access to lawful speech.
The debate references Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, where the supreme Court affirmed minors’ rights to access protected content, and Reno v. ACLU, wich struck down ID requirements that chilled adult access to speech. State-level attempts to mandate age verification online have faced First Amendment challenges.
Critics also point to Paxton v. Free Speech Coalition, a case concerning Texas’ H.B. 1181, which mandates age verification for adult content sites. FTC staff reportedly viewed a ruling favoring Texas as “good,” while suggesting a decision siding with the Free Speech Coalition would run “against” the agency’s interests.
Opponents insist that age verification measures, promoted under the guise of protecting children, could lead to increased surveillance and censorship, ultimately undermining free speech and privacy for both adults and minors.
This workshop made the FTC’s agenda unmistakable. They’re not pursuing a safer Internet for kids. As Elizabeth said, the FTC is pushing a Christian nationalist vision of the web, built on censorship and surveillance, with children as the excuse and the collateral.
What’s next
The implications of the FTC’s approach could reshape the internet landscape, raising concerns about potential restrictions on access to facts and the erosion of digital anonymity. The debate is expected to continue as legal challenges to age verification laws proceed.