US telecom regulator stepping out as Joe Biden steps in

San Francisco: The chief US telecom regulator said Monday he will leave his post the same day President-elect Joe Biden takes office, clearing the way for a shift in oversight of the internet.

Ajit Pai’s tenure as chair of the Federal Communications Commission has been defined by a pro-industry stance, particularly in regard to “net neutrality,” leaving telecommunications firms free to block or throttle traffic.

Pai’s decision to step down on January 20, Biden’s inauguration day, clears the way for the creation of an FCC board dominated by Democrats who may elevate the interests of users and entrepreneurs above those of telecom titans.