⁍ The antitrust subcommittee is expected to release a much-anticipated report into the four big tech companies.


⁍ Rep. David Cicilline said the tech companies used strategies such as self-preferencing and predatory pricing to grow.


⁍ The Justice Department is also probing the big four tech platforms, and is expected to file a lawsuit against Google next week.


– “These once-scrappy, underdog startups have grown into the kinds of monopolies we last saw more than a century ago.” So said Rep. David Cicilline, chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee, during a hearing Thursday on Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google, Reuters reports. The panel is expected to release a report Monday that is expected to accuse the companies of using predatory pricing, self-praising, and other tactics to grow. “These once-scrappy, underdog startups have grown into the kinds of monopolies we last saw more than a century ago,” Cicilline said. The Justice Department is also investigating the companies, and is expected to file a lawsuit against Google next week. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said the companies are “out to get conservatives,” and suggested changes to the law. “We also need to seriously consider increasing scrutiny on big tech companies, including shifting the burden of proof required for a market dominant company to prove that a merger is not anti-competitive,” he said. Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong said he agreed with Buck on the need for “more money, more resources, (and) more enforcement.” He indicated he would be interested in discussing ‘tweaks’ to antitrust law. Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, repeated his concern that Big Tech firms were ‘out to get conservatives.’ The Justice Department is also probing the big four tech platforms, and is expected to file a lawsuit against Google next week.



Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tech-antitrust/house-democrats-discuss-tougher-antitrust-law-some-republicans-agree-idUSKBN26M7KI