This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
US lawmakers engaged in a marathon session on Thursday, June 24, to debate legislation aimed at reforming antitrust laws and curbing the power of Big Tech firms.
The House Judiciary Committee members clashed over details of the bills, which could have massive implications for large online platforms and their users.
Legislation being forwarded to the House floor could force an overhaul of the practices of Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook, or potentially lead to a breakup of the dominant tech giants.
Representative David Cicilline, who headed a 16-month investigation that led to the legislation, stated that the bills are aimed at restoring competition in markets stymied by monopolies.
“Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are gatekeepers to the online economy,” Cicilline said during the hearing. “They bury or buy rivals and abuse their monopoly power, conduct that is harmful to consumers, competition, innovation, and our democracy.”
The bills would restrict how online platforms operate, notably whether tech giants operating them can favor their own products or services.
Members of the committee went on to green-light a bill that would require Big Tech firms to prove an acquisition or merger would not crimp competition.
Republican Representative Ken Buck supported the overhaul, stating that the legislation “represents a scalpel, not a chainsaw, to deal with the most important aspects of antitrust reform,” in dealing with “these monopolists (who) routinely use their gatekeeper power to crush competitors, harm innovation, and destroy the free market.”
– Pushback from industry – ¶
Industry leaders and others warned of negative consequences for popular services people rely on, potentially forcing Apple to remove its messaging apps from the iPhone or Google to stop displaying results from YouTube or Maps.
Apple released a report arguing that one likely impact — opening up the iPhone to apps from outside platforms — could create security and privacy risks for users.
