Antitrust investigation of Amazon accelerates under new FTC boss
2 years, 7 months ago

Antitrust investigation of Amazon accelerates under new FTC boss

LA Times  

Lina Khan at her Senate committee confirmation hearing. Lina Khan, who became chair of the agency last year, had made a name for herself with a groundbreaking legal paper on Amazon’s potential antitrust violations and has taken a personal interest in the investigation. Before joining the FTC from Columbia Law School, Khan worked as a staffer for the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee that had spent 16 months investigating Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Amazon, Apple Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. Khan focused on the Google section of what eventually became the panel’s 449-page report, while an FTC staffer led the Amazon portion. Since then, FTC lawyers have homed in on aspects of the investigation involving Amazon Web Services, the company’s lucrative cloud computing business, and more recently the $8.45-billion MGM acquisition. The FTC declined to comment directly on the deal at the time but issued a statement that it “does not approve transactions and may challenge a deal at any time if it determines that it violates the law.” FTC lawyers have been asking questions about the MGM deal’s effect on the company’s video streaming service, Amazon Prime, two of the people said.

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History of this topic

U.S. FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop
1 month, 1 week ago

U.S. FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop

The Hindu  

Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft's business practices, starting a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon. It's the latest action of more than three years of aggressive antitrust enforcement shepherded by FTC Chair Lina Khan, who was elevated to lead the agency by President Joe …

FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop
1 month, 1 week ago

FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop

Associated Press  

Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft’s business practices, starting a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon. It’s the latest action of more than three years of aggressive antitrust enforcement shepherded by FTC Chair Lina Khan, who was elevated to lead the agency by President Joe …

Microsoft facing another major antitrust investigation, US FTC goes after various major issues
1 month, 1 week ago

Microsoft facing another major antitrust investigation, US FTC goes after various major issues

Firstpost  

At the centre of the investigation is Microsoft’s bundling strategy, particularly the integration of productivity tools like Word, Excel, and Teams with its cloud and cybersecurity offerings. Competitors argue it undercuts their ability to compete fairly This investigation marks one of the final moves by Lina Khan, who has led an aggressive campaign against corporate consolidation during her tenure as …

Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, tosses out few state claims
3 months ago

Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, tosses out few state claims

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We are pleased with the …

FTC lawsuit over Amazon's Prime program set for June 2025 trial
6 months, 4 weeks ago

FTC lawsuit over Amazon's Prime program set for June 2025 trial

The Hindu  

A judge has set a June 2025 trial in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s case accusing Amazon.com of deceptively enrolling millions of online shoppers into the e-commerce giant’s Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to leave. In a brief order, U.S. District Judge John Chun in Seattle on Tuesday said he would hear the FTC’s …

Microsoft faces FTC investigation for its relation with OpenAI, Google, Amazon to be investigated too
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Microsoft faces FTC investigation for its relation with OpenAI, Google, Amazon to be investigated too

Firstpost  

Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft are facing scrutiny from the US Federal Trade Commission regarding their investments and partnerships with artificial intelligence startups Anthropic and OpenAI. The FTC, an antitrust and consumer protection agency, issued subpoenas to gather information, focusing on over $19 billion in investments made by Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet’s Google. She asserted, “There is no AI exemption from …

Amazon antitrust lawsuit likely to be long and arduous journey for FTC
1 year, 2 months ago

Amazon antitrust lawsuit likely to be long and arduous journey for FTC

The Hindu  

Amazon is heading into one of its biggest sales events of the year — Prime Day — with a lawsuit hanging over its head that accuses it of preventing sellers from hawking their merchandise at lower prices on other sites. The Federal Trade Commission's long-awaited antitrust case is the agency's most aggressive move yet to tame the market power of …

The Amazon antitrust lawsuit is likely to be a long and arduous journey for the FTC
1 year, 3 months ago

The Amazon antitrust lawsuit is likely to be a long and arduous journey for the FTC

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Amazon is heading into one of its biggest sales events of the year — Prime Day — with a lawsuit hanging over its head that accuses it of preventing sellers from hawking their merchandise at lower prices on other sites. The Federal Trade Commission’s long-awaited antitrust case is the agency’s most aggressive move yet to tame the …

FTC's Amazon antitrust lawsuit faces high bar in US court -experts
1 year, 3 months ago

FTC's Amazon antitrust lawsuit faces high bar in US court -experts

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit accusing Amazon.com of abusing its retail market power to stifle competition faces hurdles in court, testing the scope of U.S. antitrust law and posing roadblocks for the agency, legal experts said. Several legal experts told Reuters that the FTC faces a high bar in trying to show that U.S. consumers would be better off …

U.S. sues Amazon for breaking antitrust law, harming consumers
1 year, 3 months ago

U.S. sues Amazon for breaking antitrust law, harming consumers

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.com on September 26, charging the online retailer with harming consumers with higher prices in the latest U.S. government legal action aimed at breaking Big Tech’s dominance of the internet. Amazon said that the FTC lawsuit was wrongheaded and would hurt consumers by leading to higher prices and slower …

US trade commission files anti-trust lawsuit against online retailer Amazon
1 year, 3 months ago

US trade commission files anti-trust lawsuit against online retailer Amazon

Al Jazeera  

Attorneys general from 17 states joined the Federal Trade Commission’s suit, which accuses Amazon of harming consumers. The United States Federal Trade Commission has filed a long-anticipated anti-trust lawsuit against online retailer Amazon, accusing the company of harming consumers by stifling competition. “The FTC and its state partners say Amazon’s actions allow it to stop rivals and sellers from lowering …

Amazon using ‘coercive tactics’ to protect its dominance, claims FTC chair Lina Khan
1 year, 3 months ago

Amazon using ‘coercive tactics’ to protect its dominance, claims FTC chair Lina Khan

The Telegraph  

Joe Biden’s competition tsar has accused Amazon of using “punitive and coercive tactics” to lock in businesses and squeeze money from Prime subscribers. Lina Khan, the 34-year-old Democratic chair of the Federal Trade Commission, has sued Amazon to block its “unlawful” online marketplace monopoly. Sellers also need to secure eligibility for “Prime” delivery discounts by using Amazon’s own delivery services. …

Federal Trade Commission hits Amazon with "one of the most important antitrust cases in US history"
1 year, 3 months ago

Federal Trade Commission hits Amazon with "one of the most important antitrust cases in US history"

Salon  

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. The document — filed in a federal court in Washington state — alleges that Amazon maintains "durable monopoly power" in the online superstore and marketplace services markets, including by stifling price competition and coercing sellers into using its fulfillment service. "Seldom in the history of U.S. antitrust law has one case had the …

FTC to file antitrust case against Amazon as soon as Tuesday
1 year, 3 months ago

FTC to file antitrust case against Amazon as soon as Tuesday

The Hindu  

September 23, 2023 09:19 am | Updated 09:50 am IST The Federal Trade Commission will file a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon in federal court as soon as Tuesday, Politico reported on Friday, kicking off the latest leg in the US effort to rein in the market power of Big Tech companies. The legal action, which would follow federal lawsuits …

FTC may file suit against Amazon later this month: Report
1 year, 4 months ago

FTC may file suit against Amazon later this month: Report

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission may file a lawsuit later this month against Amazon.com after the company did not offer concessions to settle antitrust claims, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The lawsuit will target the company's logistics program, Fulfillment by Amazon, pricing on its website by third-party sellers and will suggest "structural remedies" that …

Amazon.com set to meet with U.S. FTC ahead of potential antitrust lawsuit: Source
1 year, 5 months ago

Amazon.com set to meet with U.S. FTC ahead of potential antitrust lawsuit: Source

The Hindu  

Amazon.com is set to meet next week with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ahead of a potential long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against the retailer, according to a source familiar with the matter. The FTC began probing Amazon during former President Donald Trump's administration when the government decided to investigate Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple for allegedly breaking antitrust law. Before becoming …

U.S. antitrust agency preparing lawsuit against Amazon
1 year, 11 months ago

U.S. antitrust agency preparing lawsuit against Amazon

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing a possible antitrust lawsuit against e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc., the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. It could not be determined exactly which aspects of Amazon's businesses the FTC would target and the timing of any case was uncertain, according to the report. Amazon in December reached …

FTC investigating Amazon’s $3.9B purchase of One Medical
2 years, 4 months ago

FTC investigating Amazon’s $3.9B purchase of One Medical

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Amazon’s $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary health organization One Medical, a move that could delay the completion of the deal. Both One Medical and Amazon received a request for additional information Friday in connection with an FTC review of the merger, according to a filing made with securities regulators by …

Amazon offers concessions to head off European Union anti-trust case
2 years, 5 months ago

Amazon offers concessions to head off European Union anti-trust case

The Hindu  

Amazon, seeking to resolve two European Union anti-trust investigations, has promised to treat third-party merchants on its website fairly, the bloc's competition watchdog said on July 14. The U. S. online retail giant offered to make a number of commitments to ease competition concerns, and the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's top antitrust enforcer, said it will now seek feedback …

U.S. FTC meeting will scrutinize Big Tech's small deals
3 years, 4 months ago

U.S. FTC meeting will scrutinize Big Tech's small deals

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will hold its next open meeting on Sept. 15 to hear staff findings on deals that Big Tech firms like Facebook and Apple make which are sometimes too small to spark antitrust scrutiny, the agency said on Wednesday. The staff report will include Big Tech acquisitions from 2010 to 2019, some of which were not …

Facebook asks recusal of FTC head in antitrust case decision
3 years, 5 months ago

Facebook asks recusal of FTC head in antitrust case decision

The Hindu  

Facebook is asking that the new head of the Federal Trade Commission step away from decisions on whether to continue the agency's antitrust case against the social network giant, asserting that past public criticism of the company’s market power makes it impossible for her to be impartial. Facebook Inc. petitioned the agency Wednesday to remove Chair Lina Khan from taking …

Column: Facebook and Amazon launch a personal attack to unseat a tough regulator
3 years, 5 months ago

Column: Facebook and Amazon launch a personal attack to unseat a tough regulator

LA Times  

Lina Khan at her Senate committee confirmation hearing in April. Also sticking in Facebook’s craw is Khan’s role in a House antitrust subcommittee investigation of the domination of digital markets by Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple, completed last year with the issuance of a damning 450-page report. Khan was a counsel to Democrats on the subcommittee that conducted the inquiry, …

Amazon asks FTC to recuse Chairwoman Khan
3 years, 6 months ago

Amazon asks FTC to recuse Chairwoman Khan

The Hindu  

Amazon.com filed a petition on Wednesday asking for Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan to be recused on antitrust matters related to the company, according to documents filed with the agency. "Amazon.com, Inc. respectfully petitions the commission for recusal of Chair Lina Khan from any antitrust investigation, adjudication, litigation, or other proceeding in which Amazon is a subject, target or …

The FTC just took a step that could make it easier to go after Amazon
3 years, 6 months ago

The FTC just took a step that could make it easier to go after Amazon

CNN  

CNN Business — For years, the US antitrust enforcers at the Federal Trade Commission have pledged only to go after companies that have harmed consumers. The 2015 policy statement, a voluntary commitment by the Obama-era FTC, assured the public that the agency would prioritize “consumer welfare” in its enforcement decisions.The FTC at the time also pledged to consider “business justifications” …

Amazon asks for FTC head to step aside from antitrust probes
3 years, 6 months ago

Amazon asks for FTC head to step aside from antitrust probes

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Amazon is asking that the new head of the Federal Trade Commission step aside from antitrust investigations into the e-commerce giant, contending that her past public criticism of the company’s market power makes it impossible for her to be impartial. Amazon petitioned the agency Wednesday to remove Chair Lina Khan from taking part in current probes of the …

Amazon wants FTC Chair Lina Khan recused from all its cases
3 years, 6 months ago

Amazon wants FTC Chair Lina Khan recused from all its cases

CNN  

CNN Business — Amazon has formally requested that newly appointed Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan be recused from all Amazon -related antitrust cases before the agency. The e-commerce giant filed a petition to the FTC on Wednesday suggesting that Khan – an outspoken tech critic who has played a key role in driving antitrust scrutiny of the industry and …

FTC’s Lina Khan: Could “the Simone Biles of antitrust” break up Amazon?
55 years ago

FTC’s Lina Khan: Could “the Simone Biles of antitrust” break up Amazon?

Slate  

Joe Biden’s pick for chair of the regulatory Federal Trade Commission was a slightly nontraditional one: a 32-year-old Pakistani American lawyer named Lina Khan who’s been described as a “antitrust rock star.” She has big ideas about how corporations wield their power, and why large companies—i.e., monopolies—especially in Big Tech have remained unregulated for so long. Now you’re seeing people …

Amazon policy punishes consumers, D.C. suit claims
3 years, 7 months ago

Amazon policy punishes consumers, D.C. suit claims

Live Mint  

Amazon.com Inc. was hit Tuesday with an antitrust suit by the District of Columbia, which alleges that the company blocks sellers on its marketplace from offering better deals elsewhere, leading to higher prices for consumers. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., Superior Court, centers on agreements between Amazon and third-party sellers on the Amazon marketplace, which Mr. Racine said accounts …

DC sues Amazon over alleged antitrust violations
3 years, 7 months ago

DC sues Amazon over alleged antitrust violations

CNN  

CNN Business — The District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday, alleging the tech giant has abused its market dominance in e-commerce to harm competition and keep retail prices artificially high across the entire internet. DC Attorney General Karl Racine’s lawsuit against Amazon zeroes in on the e-commerce company’s relationships with third-party sellers, alleging that Amazon …

EU files antitrust charges against Amazon over use of data
4 years, 2 months ago

EU files antitrust charges against Amazon over use of data

Associated Press  

LONDON — European Union regulators filed antitrust charges Tuesday against Amazon, accusing the e-commerce giant of using its access to data from companies that sell products on its platform to gain an unfair advantage over them. The EU’s executive Commission also opened a second investigation Tuesday into whether Amazon favors product offers and merchants that use its own logistics and …

EU hits Amazon with antitrust charges. A huge fine could follow
4 years, 2 months ago

EU hits Amazon with antitrust charges. A huge fine could follow

CNN  

London CNN Business — The European Union has unveiled formal antitrust charges against Amazon for abusing its dominance in online shopping and opened a second investigation into the company’s business practices. Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s top antitrust official, accused Amazon on Tuesday of illegally abusing its dominant position as an online marketplace in Germany and France, the company’s biggest …

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators
4 years, 2 months ago

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators

NPR  

Amazon Faces Antitrust Charges From European Regulators Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 3:06 p.m. is that the use of non-public marketplace seller data allows Amazon to avoid the normal risks of retail competition and to leverage its dominance in the market," the European Commission, the EU's top antitrust enforcer, said on Tuesday …

Tech Giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook & Google Testify Before Antitrust Subcommittee In US | 5 Things To Know
4 years, 5 months ago

Tech Giants Amazon, Apple, Facebook & Google Testify Before Antitrust Subcommittee In US | 5 Things To Know

ABP News  

The committee is said to have conducted a year-long investigation of these big tech companies to find that these companies have been come so powerful that they disrupt the country’s democracy and crush any competition hence creating a monopoly. Mark Zuckerberg the founder of social media Facebook was questioned whether his company duplicated various apps to use to as his …

US senator urges criminal probe of Amazon's alleged 'predatory data practices' on vendors
4 years, 8 months ago

US senator urges criminal probe of Amazon's alleged 'predatory data practices' on vendors

Firstpost  

This comes after a report that Amazon collects data about products sold by third parties on its site in order to create Amazon-branded copies. Senator Josh Hawley urged the Justice Department on Tuesday to open a criminal probe of Amazon.com Inc, saying the online retailer was building a monopoly using “predatory data practices” on vendors using its platform. Hawley, a …

Why are Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple facing antitrust issues?
5 years ago

Why are Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple facing antitrust issues?

The Hindu  

The story so far: After years of blistering growth driven by an ever-growing share of the online ad market and big data, the giants of Silicon Valley, including Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, are facing an unprecedented challenge — calls by lawmakers to curb their market monopoly power. There are two sources of tension relating to these four tech firms …

States prepare to formally investigate tech industry, including Google
5 years, 4 months ago

States prepare to formally investigate tech industry, including Google

CNN  

Washington CNN Business — More than half of the country’s state attorneys general are readying an antitrust investigation into Google’s advertising practices, with an announcement of the probe set for next week in Washington, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. “We continue to work constructively with regulators, including attorneys general, in answering questions about our business and the …

Privacy case settled, Facebook discloses FTC antitrust probe
5 years, 5 months ago

Privacy case settled, Facebook discloses FTC antitrust probe

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook says it is under antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission. Though that agency didn’t name any companies, broad antitrust concerns have long swirled around Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google. Following on Facebook’s public disclosure, the FTC confirmed the antitrust probe, but would not give details such as how long the probe has been underway. Facebook …

Amazon: European Commission launches antitrust investigation
5 years, 5 months ago

Amazon: European Commission launches antitrust investigation

CNN  

London CNN Business — The European Union will investigate how Amazon uses data from independent sellers, continuing an aggressive regulatory push that has already ensnared Google, Facebook and Apple. Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s top antitrust official, had previously signaled that she would examine whether the giant online retailer’s use of data violates competition rules. But she cautioned that “we …

Amazon to fall under FTC for anti-trust related cases
5 years, 7 months ago

Amazon to fall under FTC for anti-trust related cases

India TV News  

Following an agreement between the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, e-commerce giant Amazon could fall under FTC's jurisdiction on anti-trust subjects. Also, read: Xiaomi Poco F1 gets a price cut which indicated Poco F2 launch soon According to The Washington Post, this "kind of arrangement brokered between the DOJ and the FTC typically presages more serious antitrust …

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