Rundown: FTC’s potential priorities for ad tech, data and AI 

Under the leadership of Andrew Ferguson, chairman of Federal Trade Commission, the agency could shift its focus from broad regulatory rule-making to targeted enforcement actions. 

However, some observers note that doesn’t mean the FTC’s new leadership will be totally soft on Big Tech. One indication: Ferguson’s recent picks for top agency positions as indication, including some with experience from President Donald Trump’s first administration.

• Daniel Guarnera, named director of the Bureau of Competition, joins the FTC from the Justice Department’s antitrust division, where he filed monopolization lawsuits against Google and Apple. 
• Lucas Croslow was appointed FTC General Counsel. Previously, he was deputy Solicitor General of Virginia.

Key differences in FTC regimes 

Ferguson, a Republican, became an FTC commissioner in 2024 after being appointed by then-President Joe Biden. Unlike former FTC Chair Lina Khan’s tenure, which pursued expansive rulemaking efforts to reshape antitrust and privacy regulations, Ferguson has emphasized that comprehensive privacy laws should be the domain of Congress.

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