When you edited The Williams Record, your job was to report the news. Now, as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, you’re making headlines, not writing them.
Under your leadership, the FTC accused Facebook of pursuing an illegal “buy-or-bury” strategy to thwart competition. It stopped a $4.4 billion Lockheed Martin deal to buy a rocket engine company. It blocked a $40 billion acquisition in the computer industry.
And just last month, you launched an FTC process to rein in unfair and deceptive use of consumers’ personal data. You tweeted then that the depth of the intelligence that businesses collect on us is “stunning.”
And that’s only the beginning. You said recently that we should expect more big FTC lawsuits. You compared the commission’s work today to the 20th century crusade to break the railroad stranglehold on the U.S. economy.
You first came to national prominence five years ago, while still a law student. You published a highly influential Yale Law Journal article provocatively titled “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox.” In it, you challenged conventional wisdom on what antitrust enforcement should aim to do.
President Biden appointed you to the FTC at 32, making you the youngest chair ever. Now, only a little over a year into your tenure, you have demonstrated already that you are principled, savvy and determined—in short, a force to be reckoned with.
In recognition of your distinguished achievement in law and government, Williams College is proud to honor you with its Bicentennial Medal.