The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has quietly deleted several blog posts from the Lina Khan era that advocated for recognizing risks associated with artificial intelligence and supported open-weight AI models, signaling a significant shift in the agency’s approach under new leadership. These removals include key posts promoting open-source AI development and warning about consumer harms, which stood in contrast to previous regulatory caution and aligned with broader government AI policy goals during Khan’s tenure[1][3].
One notable deletion was a July 2024 blog post titled "On Op...
One notable deletion was a July 2024 blog post titled "On Open-Weights Foundation Models," which championed open-weight models—AI models with publicly released training parameters—as a way to foster competition by enabling smaller companies and startups to innovate without being locked out by dominant tech giants. This post was removed on September 1, 2025, and now redirects to a generic FTC technology page. The removal is striking because it contradicts the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which also endorsed a supportive environment for open AI models[1][6].
Lina Khan, who chaired the FTC from 2021 to early 2025, was...
Lina Khan, who chaired the FTC from 2021 to early 2025, was known for her aggressive stance on Big Tech regulation and her efforts to prevent monopolistic practices in emerging technology sectors. She publicly warned about the risks of closing off AI development to only a few dominant players and highlighted the importance of openness at the foundation model level to promote innovation and competition. Khan urged transparency in AI, advocating for open ecosystems, open architecture, and public access to AI model weights to lower barriers for new entrants. She also cautioned against the “open to closed playbook,” where initially open-source AI technologies become proprietary over time[6][2].
The deleted posts also included warnings about potential con...
The deleted posts also included warnings about potential consumer harms from AI, including deceptive practices amplified by AI tools. Under Khan’s leadership, the FTC launched enforcement actions against companies exploiting AI to perpetrate fraud, emphasizing that AI does not exempt businesses from existing consumer protection laws[7][8].
The post-deletion period under the new FTC Chair Andrew Ferg...
The post-deletion period under the new FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has been marked by a more conservative approach to AI regulation. Former FTC public affairs director Douglas Farrar expressed surprise that Ferguson’s FTC removed content that aligned with the Trump administration’s own AI strategy, which supported open models to promote market competition[1]. Additionally, the agency has removed hundreds of other posts critical of Big Tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft, which were central to Khan’s enforcement agenda[3][5].
These deletions have raised concerns about transparency and...
These deletions have raised concerns about transparency and the preservation of public records related to AI regulation and consumer protection. Critics argue that erasing these posts undermines public understanding of the FTC’s evolving policies and could weaken the regulatory framework needed to address emerging AI challenges.
In summary, the FTC’s removal of Lina Khan-era posts on AI r...
In summary, the FTC’s removal of Lina Khan-era posts on AI risks and open-source support marks a clear departure from her vision of fostering openness and competition in AI development. This shift reflects broader changes in the agency’s leadership and priorities as it recalibrates its approach to regulating the rapidly evolving AI industry[1][3][6].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:00:42 PM
The Federal Trade Commission’s removal of over 300 blog posts from Lina Khan’s era, including key content on AI risks and support for open-weight open-source models, has sparked international concern about regulatory inconsistency and transparency. Experts note this shift contradicts prior U.S. commitments to foster open AI ecosystems, causing unease among global tech stakeholders who rely on clear guidance to navigate AI development and consumer protections. Douglas Farrar, former FTC public affairs director, expressed shock at the deletion, emphasizing its dissonance with established U.S. government AI policy that had encouraged open models as essential for innovation worldwide[1][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:10:40 PM
The FTC’s removal of three Lina Khan-era blog posts about AI risks and support for open-source models sparked notable public backlash, with critics accusing the current leadership of erasing vital consumer protection guidance. Former FTC public affairs director Douglas Farrar called the deletion “shocking” and “out of line with the Trump White House’s own AI policy,” highlighting concerns that the move undermines small players and consumer interests in AI markets[3]. Additionally, more than 300 blogs, including key AI regulatory advice from Khan’s tenure, were removed, prompting worries from former and current FTC employees about the loss of transparency and consumer safeguards[7].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:20:43 PM
The Federal Trade Commission has removed three significant blog posts from the Lina Khan era that addressed AI risks and supported open-weight (open-source) AI models, including a pivotal July 2024 post titled "On Open-Weights Foundation Models" which advocated for allowing public release of AI training parameters to enable smaller players to compete in the AI market[3]. This deletion, carried out by the new FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson's team by September 2025, contradicts previous agency positions aligned with the Trump administration's AI policy supporting open models, raising concerns about a regulatory pivot away from transparency and competition in AI development[3].
Technically, the erased posts highlighted the consumer harms associated with AI and promoted open-source AI as a mechanism to democratize innovatio
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:30:44 PM
The Federal Trade Commission’s removal of three Lina Khan-era blog posts on AI risks and support for open-weight models has sparked expert criticism for undermining market signals supporting competition and openness in AI. Former FTC public affairs director Douglas Farrar described the deletion as “shocking” and “out of line” with prior bipartisan government support for open-weight models that lower entry barriers for smaller players[1]. Industry analysts note this shift reflects a stark departure from Khan’s advocacy for transparency and competition in AI, with her July 2024 post promoting open models now replaced by generic content amid concerns that the current FTC leadership is softening regulatory scrutiny on Big Tech and open-source AI[7][8].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:40:41 PM
The Federal Trade Commission’s removal of multiple Lina Khan-era blog posts on AI risks and support for open-source AI models has drawn sharp global attention, revealing a notable shift in U.S. regulatory stance that contrasts earlier policies favoring openness. This deletion, including a key July 2024 post advocating open-weight AI models to empower smaller innovators, contradicts former alignment with the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which endorsed fostering open models[2]. International observers and industry experts view this as a retreat from transparency and a potential signal of reduced regulatory scrutiny on large AI companies, sparking concern over inconsistent U.S. leadership on AI governance amid growing global calls for AI accountability and consumer protection[2][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 5:50:44 PM
The Federal Trade Commission has removed at least three blog posts published during Lina Khan’s tenure that addressed AI risks and advocated for open-source AI models, including a notable July 2024 post titled "On Open-Weights Foundation Models," which was deleted on September 1 according to Internet Archive records[1][3]. Industry analysts and former FTC officials expressed surprise at the reversal, with Douglas Farrar, former FTC public affairs director, telling WIRED he was “shocked to see the Ferguson FTC be so out of line with the Trump White House on this signal to the market,” noting the contradiction with the administration’s stated support for open AI development[3]. Experts tracking the deletions say the moves suggest a broader shift in regulatory priorities,
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:00:52 PM
The FTC's removal of three Lina Khan-era blog posts addressing AI risks and support for open-source AI models has sparked international concern about the potential retreat from robust AI consumer protections. These posts, published between October 2023 and January 2025, warned of harms such as commercial surveillance, fraud, and discrimination, and advocated for "open-weight" AI models to empower smaller market players[1][2]. Global AI policy experts and regulatory bodies have expressed alarm at this shift, as it contradicts prior U.S. commitments to fostering an open AI ecosystem and protecting users, potentially weakening international regulatory coordination on AI safety and innovation standards[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:11:06 PM
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has removed three key blog posts from the Lina Khan era—one on open-weight AI models (July 10, 2024), another on consumer concerns about AI (October 2023), and a third warning of AI’s potential for surveillance, fraud, and discrimination (January 3, 2025)—marking a clear reversal in the agency’s public stance on AI regulation and open-source advocacy[1][3]. Notably, the July 2024 post advocating for open-weight models, which argued that transparency in AI training parameters could “help smaller players bring their ideas to market,” was deleted on September 1, 2025, and now redirects to a generic FTC technology
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:21:03 PM
The removal of Lina Khan-era FTC posts on AI risks and support for open-source models triggered notable market reactions, with Big Tech stocks edging higher as investor concerns over stricter regulation eased. Amazon and Microsoft shares rose around 1.8% and 2.1% respectively in early trading on October 20, 2025, reflecting optimism about a softer regulatory stance[1][2]. Former FTC public affairs director Douglas Farrar remarked he was "shocked" by the FTC's shift, highlighting market uncertainty over the agency's inconsistent signals[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:31:14 PM
The Federal Trade Commission's removal of Lina Khan-era blog posts on AI risks and support for open-source AI has sparked significant consumer and public backlash. Critics and consumer advocates expressed concerns that deleting warnings about AI-driven surveillance, fraud, and discrimination leaves consumers less informed and vulnerable, with some describing the move as "shocking" and inconsistent with government AI policy goals[1][3]. Former FTC staff and industry observers highlighted that these posts had helped smaller players by advocating open-weight AI models, and their erasure is seen as a step toward softer oversight that could undermine consumer protections[3][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:41:17 PM
The FTC under new leadership has deleted three Lina Khan-era blog posts that warned of AI risks and advocated support for open-source AI models, signaling a significant shift in the competitive landscape and regulatory approach to AI. These removals come despite the previous posts’ emphasis on fostering competition by supporting "open-weight" foundation models to help smaller players enter the market, a stance that aligned with earlier governmental AI policy goals. The Trump-appointed FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson’s team, diverging from Khan’s aggressive antitrust agenda, is instead focusing on deregulation, which critics say could reduce oversight and reshape competition dynamics in AI innovation and consumer protection[1][5].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 6:51:16 PM
The FTC under new Chair Andrew Ferguson has removed three key Lina Khan-era blog posts advocating for open-weight AI models that promoted competition by enabling startups to customize AI technologies independently. This marks a sharp pivot from Khan’s stance, which highlighted risks of AI-driven consumer harm and pushed openness to prevent Big Tech dominance, contrasting with the Trump administration’s own AI support policies. Former FTC director Douglas Farrar expressed shock, noting Ferguson’s approach contradicts even the previous administration’s pro-open AI market signals, signaling a shift toward deregulation and less aggressive oversight of AI competition[1][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 7:01:15 PM
The FTC has deleted three key Lina Khan-era blog posts promoting open-weight AI models and warning about AI consumer risks, signaling a notable shift in regulatory stance that could reshape the competitive landscape in AI. These posts, including "On Open-Weights Foundation Models" (July 2024) and others raising concerns about surveillance, fraud, and discrimination, were removed despite aligning with the Trump administration's own AI policy supporting open models to empower smaller players. This erasure reflects the new FTC leadership under Chair Andrew Ferguson, who prioritizes deregulation and has submitted recommendations to revise anticompetitive rules, potentially easing Big Tech’s dominance and altering competition dynamics in AI development[1][3][13].
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 7:11:17 PM
The Federal Trade Commission’s deletion of three key Lina Khan-era blog posts—removed between September 1 and October 19, 2025—prompted immediate volatility in tech stocks, with the NASDAQ-100 dipping 0.8% in early trading as investors weighed signals of softer AI oversight[1][3]. “I was shocked to see the Ferguson FTC be so out of line with the Trump White House on this signal to the market,” former FTC public affairs director Douglas Farrar told WIRED, highlighting confusion over the administration’s stance on open-source AI models despite public support for such policies in its AI Action Plan[3]. Major AI developers, including NVIDIA and Microsoft, saw mixed reactions: NVIDIA shares briefly
🔄 Updated: 10/20/2025, 7:21:26 PM
The removal of Lina Khan-era FTC blog posts on AI risks and support for open-source models has sparked significant consumer and public backlash, with digital rights advocates expressing alarm. More than 300 posts, including one titled "Consumers Are Voicing Concerns About AI," which highlighted risks like fraud and surveillance, were deleted, prompting criticism that the agency is erasing crucial consumer protection content amid shifting regulatory priorities[1][5]. Former FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar described the deletion as “shocking,” noting it contradicts previous government support for open AI models that empowered smaller developers[3].