Decoder Live: Fired FTC commissioners fight back
28 April 2025

Decoder Live: Fired FTC commissioners fight back

Decoder with Nilay Patel

About
A few days ago, I hosted a panel with FTC commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington, DC. We recorded the discussion, and we’re bringing it to you today.

Normal Decoder stuff, but these are anything but normal times. Becca and Alvaro were FTC commissioners until very recently, when President Donald Trump fired them — but he doesn't have that legal authority. They’re suing to get their jobs back, and they’re prepared to go all the way to SCOTUS if they have to.



Links: 




Trump fires Democratic FTC commissioners | The Verge





Fired FTC commissioners sue Trump | The Verge





The case for breaking up Google has never been stronger | The Verge





The government doesn’t understand Meta | The Verge





FTC v Meta live: updates from the battle for Instagram, WhatsApp | The Verge





DOGE has arrived at the FTC | The Verge





Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s failed negotiations with the FTC | Wall Street Journal





FTC chair says he’d drop Meta case if lawfully ordered to | The Verge





Bedoya warns of “corrupting influence of billionaires”| The Verge





The FTC has enough staff to sue Amazon, after all | The Verge




Transcript: ⁠https://www.theverge.com/e/657115⁠



Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright. 

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
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