In the face of overwhelming criticism of recent radical House antitrust overhaul bills, including Rep. Cicilline’s American Choice and Innovation Online Act, it’s disappointing to see the Senate follow the House’s lead. The latest such example is Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which, according to recent press reports, is even worse […]
As members of Congress and foreign policy experts have previously highlighted, recent antitrust efforts against leading U.S. tech companies could have serious consequences for American competitiveness and security. With misguided legislation aimed at breaking up America’s world-leading tech sector, it’s important to understand what is at stake—and to ensure that there is a more informed […]
Ahead of tomorrow’s Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights hearing on data and competition, it’s important to remember that “data” isn’t a new concept and it certainly doesn’t guarantee business success. Here’s what you need to know: – Good ideas win, even with little or no data. – Consumers use […]
The word “data” can trigger some intense reactions, putting up metaphorical red flags in some consumers’ eyes. This is especially true in conversations around the technology industry. But we can get a clearer understanding of some common misconceptions about data by stepping outside of the digital world and into, say, your favorite neighborhood sandwich shop. […]
Earlier this week, the Open Markets Institute (OMI) released a data set illustrating concentration by industry, and David Leonhardt highlighted it in the New York Times‘ opinion section. While the data itself isn’t anything new – concentration in some sectors has been rising for decades and is not always inherently anti-competitive – the way Open […]
Recent pieces from The Economist on competition and the tech industry all but ignore competition, the expansive definition of the consumer welfare standard, and the importance of the U.S. due process system. In particular, in rating the level of competition among larger firms, The Economist gives Apple a “green light” and Google and Facebook a […]
In a recent Wired piece, Tim Wu ignores economic and market realities in his call for regulation of leading tech services. Wu overlooks that the vibrancy of the tech industry is driven by the ongoing success of start-ups, relying on nostalgia instead of facts about the highly competitive modern technology market. Some research dispelling Wu’s […]
Tim Wu wants to break up Facebook and other leading tech services, because “we’re in a time where we need to bring back the controls on bigness,” according to a recent Vergecast, summarized here. Wu’s case overlooks several critical issues. 1. Wu downplays existing competition among tech players (despite having hailed it as a solution […]
In his letter today to FTC Chairman Joseph Simons, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) asked the FTC to look into Google’s search practices. However, the facts haven’t changed since the FTC closed a comprehensive antitrust investigation in 2013. —The FTC found Google’s search practices were pro-consumer, and today search is even more competitive, see our backgrounder […]
Last week former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post arguing that Europe’s antitrust regime is “stronger” than America’s. But, as Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim recently said, “I don’t measure the antitrust division’s success by the fines or convictions we get or how many cases in litigation we bring. […]
Hostility to innovation and technology diminishes the incredible Internet-enabled opportunities that leading tech services provide: empowering consumers, driving prices down and increasing choice, and providing platforms to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. It has given us a golden era of entertainment, knowledge, and everything from fashion startups, to booming mom and pop stores, to the latest app.
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