World’s Largest ‘Unsupervised Space’ at Tipping Point: Former US Internet Watchdog Chief

Singapore: Tom Wheeler, former chairman of the influential U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), says the non-intrusive approach to the internet will make it the “largest unsupervised space on earth.” said.

Since the birth of the internet, many governments have tended to minimize regulation, prioritizing innovation over protection. But Wheeler suggests that a tipping point is approaching, with social media platforms coming under scrutiny as hotbeds of fake news and hate speech.

“They weren’t destroying physical objects, they were breaking the standards that have provided stability for the last century,” Wheeler said in an interview with CNA, adding that Facebook founder Mark It’s a reference to Zuckerberg’s old company motto, “Move fast and break things.”

Tech companies have always favored self-regulation over the law, but their record is mixed.

Watch: How the Internet and Big Tech Can Be Regulated: US Former Internet Watchdog Head (22:48)