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United States Justice Department Launching Antitrust Review of Major Tech Companies

Tuesday July 23, 2019 2:04 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The United States Justice Department is launching a broad antitrust review into whether major technology companies are unlawfully stifling competition, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The DoJ will reportedly be examining the practices of online platforms that "dominate internet search, social media and retail services," which will involve Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.
The Justice Department will examine issues including how the most dominant tech firms have grown in size and might--and expanded their reach into additional businesses. The Justice Department also is interested in how Big Tech has leveraged the powers that come with having very large networks of users, the officials said.
The antitrust review will seek "extensive input and information" from industry participants and, eventually, the tech firms themselves.

There is no defined goal for the investigation other than to determine whether there are antitrust problems that need addressing, but DoJ officials said that a "broad range of options are on the table." Other company practices that ultimately raise concern about compliance with laws also won't be ignored.

This investigation is separate from a rumored Google probe that will look at whether Google has engaged in unlawful monopolization practices.

The FTC and a House antitrust subcommittee have also been investigating anticompetitive conduct among major tech companies, and last week, executives from Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon testified before Congress.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

[ 220 comments ]


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az431
8 weeks ago

Apple in hot water?


Amazing that you read the entire article and that was your takeaway.
Rating: 52 Votes
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tgwaste
8 weeks ago

They should just ban Facebook so that conservatives can't spread anymore fake news!


Ya, because facebook screams conservative. lol
Rating: 38 Votes
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hagjohn
8 weeks ago
Call me crazy, but this probably has more to do with conservatives believing that big tech is out to get them, than anything anti-trust related.
Rating: 38 Votes
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mozumder
8 weeks ago
They should just ban Facebook so that conservatives can't spread anymore fake news!
Rating: 30 Votes
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tgwaste
8 weeks ago

Call me crazy, but this probably has more to do with conservatives believing that big tech is out to get them, than anything anti-trust related.


I think you're lost. As a conservative we love big tech.. big companies.. power in the hands of people and companies rather than government.

I think you're confusing us with the other guys.
Rating: 28 Votes
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busyscott
8 weeks ago

They should just ban Facebook so that conservatives can't spread anymore fake news!

Ya, like how conservatives spread that fake news story this week about Fox News not broadcasting the Mueller testimony!

Oh wait...
Rating: 28 Votes
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Jakewilk
8 weeks ago

Which of the above services does Apple dominate?


App store
Rating: 26 Votes
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citysnaps
8 weeks ago

The DoJ will reportedly be examining the practices of online platforms that "dominate internet search, social media and retail services," which will involve Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple.


Which of the above services does Apple dominate?
Rating: 25 Votes
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Chew Toy McCoy
8 weeks ago

Which of the above services does Apple dominate?


Apple dominates its own App Store for idevices. Similarly, you dominate the place you live in and by this anti-competition logic you should remove all your doors and let everybody come in and out as they please.
Rating: 24 Votes
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busyscott
8 weeks ago
I would think Facebook and Google are in more trouble here than Apple. YouTube, Search, and Android are three vastly different companies. Facebook is just buying anyone that gets big enough to cause concern - I’m sure google does the same. They are certainly stifling not just other companies, but also censoring free speech. Although that’s a completely different topic...
Rating: 22 Votes

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