Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, the company behind one of the world’s most popular games, Fortnite, has been vocal in his support for the principles that Brendan Carr, President-Elect Trump’s new chair pick for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), stands for, particularly regarding free speech and the fight against excessive control by tech monopolies.
In a series of tweets, Sweeney emphasized the chilling effects of gatekeeper censorship and lauded the actions that counter such restrictive measures, indirectly aligning his views with those championed by Carr.
On Sunday, Carr, currently the senior Republican member of the FCC and a nominee of President-elect Trump from 2017, was designated as the next Chairman of the FCC, to take office in January. Trump lauded Carr’s extensive service in a statement, pointing out that Carr had been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and his term would extend until 2029. The president-elect expressed his confidence in Carr’s leadership, stating, “His current term runs through 2029 and, because of his great work, I will now be designating him as permanent Chairman.”
Supporting Carr, Tim Sweeney expressed his concerns about large tech companies, like Apple and Google, that have threatened to block apps like X from their platforms and have engaged in what he describes as purges of privacy apps in certain countries.
“Gatekeeper censorship and chilling of speech is very real. Apple tried to silence me and ban my company, Epic Games, from competing with Apple under Europe’s Digital Markets Act on account of my speech criticizing Apple and their practices,” Sweeney wrote.
“American freedom of speech will exist in name only if private monopolies have free rein to censor or shadowban the opinions of Americans they dislike or disagree with.”
Moreover, Sweeney highlighted how entities like the European Commission have had to intervene to protect competition and free speech, steps that he suggests should be a model for US policy. These comments reinforce a shared stance with Carr, who has also been vocal about ensuring fair competition and guarding against the monopolistic tendencies of Big Tech firms.
Sweeney added: “What this is really about is a simple principle: We can’t allow companies that are adjudicated monopolists over search, social media, or app distribution to use their power to gain monopolies over ideas. Their services are, in a very real sense, public commons in which billions of free citizens engage in public discourse. These channels must remain open and free.”
