11/18/2019
2:18 PM ET 11/18/2019
FTC Says Multiple Tech Antitrust Probes Are Under Way -- 2nd Update
Amazon.com hasn't disclosed being notified of a formal FTC probe and didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
WSJ
wsj.com
FTC Says Several Tech Antitrust Probes Are Under Way
Chairman Joseph Simons says investigations extend beyond Facebook
Mr. Simons, speaking at an American Bar Association event in Washington, didn’t discuss the details of any particular investigation. He said the agency’s new technology enforcement division is looking at tech firms’ conduct as well as reviewing whether previous tech mergers and acquisitions, either individual mergers or a string of smaller deals, harmed competition in violation of U.S. law.
He also said the agency is considering whether mergers were executed as part of “a campaign of exclusionary conduct that includes exclusionary behavior like exclusive dealings (and) loyalty programs.”
Mr. Simons’ remarks followed an appearance by Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who is a central figure in the Justice Department’s broad antitrust review of online platforms, an initiative that has created tensions with Mr. Simons and the FTC.
Mr. Rosen said the DOJ hasn’t yet reached any conclusions about potential issues people have raised about the dominant platforms, including whether they are stifling innovation and competition from other would-be rivals in the digital space.
The Justice Department’s No. 2 official, however, warned that antitrust enforcement isn’t a “panacea for every problem in the digital world,” and suggested the department would consider other legal tools at its disposal.
“We will not ignore any harms caused by online platforms that partially or completely fall outside the antitrust laws,” Mr. Rosen said. “We are keeping in mind other tools in areas such as privacy, consumer protection and public safety as part of a broader review of online platforms, to whatever extent warranted.” |
