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 reported to antitrust enforcers because of their small size. The Big Tech firms, which also include Alphabet's Google and Amazon.com, have been under antitrust scrutiny for more than two years. The agency had sent demands for information to five big tech firms, including Microsoft, in February 2020, saying that it wanted to probe whether any of the smaller deals resulted in harm to competition.

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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 …

FTC opens wide-ranging antitrust probe into Microsoft
1 month, 2 weeks ago

FTC opens wide-ranging antitrust probe into Microsoft

CNN  

New York CNN — Microsoft is set to go under the microscope of the nation’s top antitrust watchdog, the Federal Trade Commission, which is launching a sweeping investigation into the tech giant’s practices. The FTC, in a letter sent to Microsoft, demanded that it hand over information to assist in the agency’s investigation, a source familiar with the matter told …

DC Edit | Google fine: Caveat for Big Tech
5 months ago

DC Edit | Google fine: Caveat for Big Tech

Deccan Chronicle  

After a six-year-long antitrust lawsuit against Google, a US court declared that Alphabet, Google’s owner, has illegally monopolised the search market through exclusive deals with mobile handset makers. Judge Amit Mehta, who delivered this verdict, said Alphabet paid $26 billion to make its search engine the default option on smartphones and web browsers, and effectively blocked any other competitor from …

Opinion: AI and privacy rules meant for Big Tech could hurt small businesses most
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Opinion: AI and privacy rules meant for Big Tech could hurt small businesses most

LA Times  

The company that makes Roomba and Braava cleaning tools was not allowed to be acquired by Amazon and has had hard times since that fell through. As lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. consider policy born of their Big Tech concerns such as data privacy and artificial intelligence, they should carefully consider how such changes could end up trampling the …

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 …

FTC opens inquiry into Big Tech’s partnerships with leading AI startups
11 months, 2 weeks ago

FTC opens inquiry into Big Tech’s partnerships with leading AI startups

Associated Press  

U.S. antitrust enforcers are opening an inquiry into the relationships between leading artificial intelligence startups such as ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and the tech giants that have invested billions of dollars into them. “We’re scrutinizing whether these ties enable dominant firms to exert undue influence or gain privileged access in ways that could undermine fair competition,” said Lina Khan, chair of the …

FTC opens investigation into Big Tech’s partnerships with leading AI startups
11 months, 2 weeks ago

FTC opens investigation into Big Tech’s partnerships with leading AI startups

LA Times  

U.S. antitrust enforcers are launching an inquiry into how big tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Google are holding sway over artificial intelligence startups, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said Thursday. “We’re scrutinizing whether these ties enable dominant firms to exert undue influence or gain privileged access in ways that could undermine fair competition,” Lina Khan, chair of …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Big moves in ‘Big Tech’
3 years ago

Big moves in ‘Big Tech’

The Hindu  

For the Big Tech companies – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Twitter, 2021 was another eventful year as each one of them navigated through various challenges, while bringing out new products and services for the consumers. Facebook and Apple came under much public outrage with Frances Haugen’s revelations of Facebook’s internal policies and Apple’s new on-device machine learning technology …

U.S. bill would stop Big Tech favouring its own products
3 years, 2 months ago

U.S. bill would stop Big Tech favouring its own products

The Hindu  

About a dozen U.S. senators from both parties on Monday formally introduced a bill that would bar Big Tech platforms, like Amazon and Alphabet's Google, from favoring their products and services. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley's bill would prohibit platforms from requiring companies operating on their sites to purchase the platform's goods or services and ban them from biasing …

Antitrust actions have a long timeline
3 years, 3 months ago

Antitrust actions have a long timeline

China Daily  

A child takes part in an art exhibition using virtual reality devices at an art museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, earlier this month. Big antitrust actions have come at key moments in history－mostly on the heels of big technological breakthroughs, which the innovators have used to grab a larger share of the market leading to big profit windfalls. China has …

Regulations for big tech firms a global trend
3 years, 3 months ago

Regulations for big tech firms a global trend

China Daily  

JIN DING/CHINA DAILY In the United States, the executive branch, courts and the Congress are moving to restrict the dominance of the US tech giants. Big Tech's market cap over $9 trillion The combined market capitalization of the largest five high-tech giants reflects their dominance. Over the past decade, criticism against Big Tech has intensified, as evidenced by expanded antitrust …

Regulations for big tech firms a global trend
3 years, 3 months ago

Regulations for big tech firms a global trend

China Daily  

JIN DING/CHINA DAILY In the United States, the executive branch, courts and the Congress are moving to restrict the dominance of the US tech giants. Big Tech's market cap over $9 trillion The combined market capitalization of the largest five high-tech giants reflects their dominance. Over the past decade, criticism against Big Tech has intensified, as evidenced by expanded antitrust …

Antitrust actions have a long timeline
3 years, 3 months ago

Antitrust actions have a long timeline

China Daily  

A child takes part in an art exhibition using virtual reality devices at an art museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, earlier this month. Big antitrust actions have come at key moments in history－mostly on the heels of big technological breakthroughs, which the innovators have used to grab a larger share of the market leading to big profit windfalls. China has …

How Big Tech is faring against U.S. lawsuits and probes
3 years, 5 months ago

How Big Tech is faring against U.S. lawsuits and probes

The Hindu  

Big Tech platforms Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook were hit with a series of antitrust lawsuits by the U.S. federal government and states on charges they are operating monopolies and abusing their power. Four lawsuits against Google The U.S. Justice Department sued Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market muscle to hobble rivals. Dozens …

Break them up? 5 ways Congress is trying to rein in Big Tech
3 years, 6 months ago

Break them up? 5 ways Congress is trying to rein in Big Tech

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Groundbreaking legislation is advancing in Congress that would curb the market power of tech giants Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple and could force them to untie their dominant platforms from their other lines of business. The measures seek to rein in the tech giants in five ways: BREAKING THEM UP The legislation would bar the four companies from …

Congress Unveils Its Plan to Curb Big Tech’s Power
55 years ago

Congress Unveils Its Plan to Curb Big Tech’s Power

Wired  

Anyone who's paid even slight attention to the congressional investigation of the power wielded by tech giants won't be surprised by the report released Tuesday by the subcommittee’s Democrats. The report, which ends a 16-month investigation and includes a trove of internal documents, lays out the most thorough case yet that Big Tech exploits its advantages in unfair ways. As …

Five things to know about the Big Tech antitrust report
4 years, 3 months ago

Five things to know about the Big Tech antitrust report

Associated Press  

After years of calling Big Tech too big, Democratic lawmakers are calling for Congress to rein in Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple by breaking them up, limiting future mergers and blocking self-dealing that could hurt competitors. BYE BYE, BUY BUY BUY The report attributes the “significant and durable market power” of the companies in large part to “a high volume …

U.S. House's antitrust report hints at break-up of Big Tech firms, lawmaker says
4 years, 3 months ago

U.S. House's antitrust report hints at break-up of Big Tech firms, lawmaker says

The Hindu  

The U.S. House of Representatives antitrust report on Big Tech firms contains a “thinly veiled call to break up” the companies, Republican Congressman Ken Buck said in a draft response seen by Reuters. The House antitrust subcommittee is expected to publish its report this week on Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc, Facebook Inc and Google owner Alphabet Inc. A Buck representative …

Inside Big Tech: Pulling back the curtain with ‘hot’ email
4 years, 5 months ago

Inside Big Tech: Pulling back the curtain with ‘hot’ email

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary chairman was closing in on his Perry Mason moment with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Fortified with “hot” internal company documents, Rep. Jerrold Nadler was building his case at a hearing that seemed almost like a trial for Facebook and three other tech giants over alleged anti-competitive tactics. Then to the “jury:” “By Mr. Zuckerberg’s own …

US tech giants too powerful, antitrust panel chair warns
4 years, 5 months ago

US tech giants too powerful, antitrust panel chair warns

Live Mint  

Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook are too powerful and will likely emerge from the coronavirus pandemic even stronger, the head of a US congressional antitrust committee said Wednesday at a high-stakes hearing featuring the CEOs of the four US tech giants. "Simply put, they have too much power," Representative David Cicilline said in his opening remarks at the hearing expected …

Tech CEOs from Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google Prepare For Their Big Day Before US Congress
4 years, 5 months ago

Tech CEOs from Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google Prepare For Their Big Day Before US Congress

News 18  

The chief executives of four of the world's largest tech companies, Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc, Apple and Alphabet's Google, plan to argue in a congressional hearing on antitrust on Wednesday that they face intense competition from each other and from other rivals. The testimony from Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Google's Sundar Pichai and Apple's Tim Cook, which was …

Heads Of Amazon, Apple, Facebook And Google Testify On Big Tech's Power
4 years, 5 months ago

Heads Of Amazon, Apple, Facebook And Google Testify On Big Tech's Power

NPR  

Heads Of Amazon, Apple, Facebook And Google Testify On Big Tech's Power Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Updated at 6:35 p.m. Cook said that "there are many reasons why" an app may not meet the App Store's guidelines, dismissing the suggestion that Apple squashed its competition to favor its own …

Bezos, Zuckerberg and other Big Tech chiefs answer to Congress on antitrust concerns
4 years, 5 months ago

Bezos, Zuckerberg and other Big Tech chiefs answer to Congress on antitrust concerns

LA Times  

Members of Congress were in rare bipartisan accord Wednesday in putting titans of Big Tech on the defensive about perceived abuses of their power, as the House antitrust subcommittee continued its year-old investigation of concentration across the digital realm. Simply put: They have too much power.” Since June 2019, the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on antitrust issues has been investigating …

Big Tech Has a Trillion-Dollar Problem
4 years, 11 months ago

Big Tech Has a Trillion-Dollar Problem

Wired  

The single change in consonant doesn’t begin to encompass the transformation. Let’s try to figure out what it means when companies change their B’s to T’s, soaring past the GDP of Norway. I’m familiar with the founders of all four of those trillion-dollar companies, as well as the one in waiting, and not one of them in the early days …

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 …

Justice Dept. puts Big Tech under the antitrust microscope
5 years, 5 months ago

Justice Dept. puts Big Tech under the antitrust microscope

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Like Europe before it, the U.S. government looks ready to try reining in its technology giants. “Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands,” Makan Delrahim, the department’s chief antitrust officer, said in a statement. “The Department’s antitrust review will explore these important issues.” The terse …

Is ‘Big Tech’ too big? A look at growing antitrust scrutiny
5 years, 5 months ago

Is ‘Big Tech’ too big? A look at growing antitrust scrutiny

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Is Big Tech headed for a big breakup? The U.S. Justice Department has announced a major antitrust investigation into unnamed tech giants, while the House Judiciary Committee has begun an unprecedented antitrust probe into Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple over their aggressive business practices, and promises “a top-to-bottom review of the market power held by giant tech …

Justice Department launches antitrust probe of Big Tech
5 years, 5 months ago

Justice Department launches antitrust probe of Big Tech

LA Times  

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg appears before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee on April 10, 2018, on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Department of Justice opened a sweeping antitrust investigation of big technology companies and whether their online platforms have hurt competition, suppressed innovation or otherwise harmed consumers. It comes as a growing number of …

DOJ Starts Review Of Whether Major Tech Companies Are Too Powerful
5 years, 5 months ago

DOJ Starts Review Of Whether Major Tech Companies Are Too Powerful

NPR  

DOJ Starts Review Of Whether Major Tech Companies Are Too Powerful Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP Updated at 6:43 p.m. ET The Justice Department says it's launching a wide-ranging antitrust review of big tech companies. Sponsor Message The Justice Department said its antitrust division will study how major online platforms grew to have their big market …

Tech giants to face US hearings on anti-trust, cryptocurrency
5 years, 5 months ago

Tech giants to face US hearings on anti-trust, cryptocurrency

India TV News  

Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook are set to face two US House hearings on anti-trust issues and Facebook's planned cryptocurrency Libra. Also, read:Chandrayaan 2: ISROs Moon mission and how lander 'Vikram' will touchdown the lunar surface On Tuesday, the House Committee on Judiciary will discuss anti-trust issues while the Senate Banking Committee will discuss Facebook's digital currency 'Libra' that is …

How Microsoft is dodging the move to regulate Big Tech
5 years, 6 months ago

How Microsoft is dodging the move to regulate Big Tech

CNN  

New York CNN Business — Microsoft’s market dominance is extraordinary at a time when so much focus is on the immense power of Big Tech. But Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in a speech at the DC Economic Club on Monday that “the government needs to get involved.” Gates, who retired from day-to-day work at Microsoft more than a decade …

Is ‘Big Tech’ too big? A look at growing antitrust scrutiny
5 years, 7 months ago

Is ‘Big Tech’ too big? A look at growing antitrust scrutiny

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Is Big Tech headed for a big breakup? The U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are moving to investigate Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple over their aggressive business practices, and the House Judiciary Committee has announced an unprecedented antitrust probe, promising “a top-to-bottom review of the market power held by giant tech platforms.” In addition, …

Congress launches Big Tech antitrust probe
5 years, 7 months ago

Congress launches Big Tech antitrust probe

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — The federal government may be warming up its antitrust enforcement machine and pointing it at Big Tech. The Justice Department would reportedly hold authority over Google and Apple, while the FTC would take point on investigations of Facebook and Amazon. It’s clear that the government is paying increasing attention to the actions of big tech companies, he …

US antitrust panel to probe tech giants over stifling competition
5 years, 7 months ago

US antitrust panel to probe tech giants over stifling competition

The Quint  

San Francisco, June 4 In a stern warning to tech giants, the US House antitrust committee has opened probes into Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon and other tech giants to determine if they prevent competition and hurt consumers. "The open Internet has delivered enormous benefits to Americans, including a surge of economic opportunity, massive investment, and new pathways for education online," …

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 …

Should Big Tech’s dominance be checked?
5 years, 7 months ago

Should Big Tech’s dominance be checked?

The Hindu  

The story so far: The debate over how to control the world’s powerful tech companies is growing. On March 8, Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts senator and Democrat presidential contender for 2020, shared her plan to break up the big technology companies, which dominate the world from their base in the U.S. “Today’s big tech companies have too much power — too …

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