The Vergecast Brendan Carr is a dummy
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Dec 19, 2025 FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's eyebrow-raising testimony at Congress sparks a lively discussion about regulatory power and the absurdity of broadcasting distinctions. The hosts dive into the merging landscapes of YouTube and Netflix, analyzing their shifting roles and the future of streaming. They also critique streaming services' ad strategies and explore the latest tech moves like LG's unwelcome TV feature and Ford's pivot to hybrid vehicles. In the lightning round, they tackle everything from the metaverse to iRobot's antitrust hurdles, wrapping it all in wit and insight.
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Broadcast Regulation Feels Outdated
- Treating broadcasters differently from internet platforms is increasingly meaningless for users and markets.
- Nilay argues regulatory asymmetry distorts competition and harms consumers in the streaming era.
FCC Independence Under Question
- Brendan Carr argues the FCC isn't independent because the president can fire commissioners.
- Nilay and David see this as a political shift toward a unitary-executive view of agency power.
Public-Interest Rules As Enforcement Tool
- Carr leans on public-interest and news-distortion rules to justify policing broadcasters.
- David and Nilay say this authority now looks like a tool for selective enforcement and political pressure.