Who Is Lina Khan? Biden FTC Pick Could Be Disaster For Big Tech

President Joe Biden has chosen progressive Lina Khan as his nominee to lead the Federal Trade Commission. A proponent of expansive antitrust action, Khan could prove a threat to Big Tech if approved, CNBC noted.

Khan has a reputation for a fundamental distrust of big business and willingness to interpret laws as needed to protect consumers. That’s also the main sticking point with moderates and conservatives, who say she’s too inexperienced and doesn’t follow established guidelines.

The London-born Khan would be the youngest ever FTC head at 32 years old. She graduated from Yale Law School less than four years ago. Her youth could be a stumbling block to her confirmation.

As for policy, Khan is deeply distrustful of large corporations and big tech. During her time at Yale University, she wrote a paper titled “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox,” arguing that the expansive influence of digital platforms demands more aggressive regulation.

"I think if you're going to be a dominant marketplace, then you perhaps shouldn't be able to also sell on that marketplace, putting yourself in direct competition with all the merchants that are dependent," Khan told NPR's Planet Money in 2019.

She also contributed to a report from the House Judiciary subcommittee that proposed more stringent rules around when large companies can buy out smaller competitors.

Khan was rumored to be in the running for the position, so some lawmakers have already hinted where they would stand.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, spoke in staunch opposition.

“Being less than four years out of law school, she lacks the experience necessary for such an important role as FTC Commissioner,” Lee told Politico. “Her views on antitrust enforcement are also wildly out of step with a prudent approach to the law. … This moment is too important for our antitrust enforcers to be learning on the job.”

Even if Kahn is approved, Biden would still have to fill one more seat on the FTC’s five-member commission. Its current member, Rohit Chopra, has been tagged by his administration to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Khan worked as a Legal Fellow at the FTC under Chopra in 2018 and later served as counsel to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.