ANTITRUST

ANTITRUST
EU Watchdog Probes Apple Pay Over Anticompetitive Conduct
October 16, 2019

The Apple payment platform, Apple Pay, is again being investigated by the European Commission again, MLex reported on Wednesday (Oct. 16).  A report says that European Union antitrust regulators are gathering information from other payments companies about Apple’s marketplace decorum. The investigation is looking at...

ANTITRUST
More States Join AG Facebook Investigation Led By NY 
October 08, 2019

The Facebook probe announced by attorneys general in September now has 40 states signed on to investigate allegations of the social media giant’s anti-competitive practices, The Washington Post reported on Monday (Oct. 7). Sources told Reuters that several state attorneys general met with U.S. Attorney...

ANTITRUST
Congress Calls On Spotify To Name Apple Violations
October 04, 2019

As part of its continuing probe into potential antitrust practices that hamper competition, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has asked Spotify for information about dealing with Apple and its App Store. Reuters reported this is the first known instance of the congressional inquiry...

ANTITRUST
Malaysia Regulator To Rule On Grab Anti-Competition Probe
October 02, 2019

The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has launched a probe against ride-hailing firm Grab and will soon arrive at a decision about the matter, Reuters reported on Wednesday (Oct. 2). A resolution will be made on Thursday (Oct. 3) about whether the MyCC finds Grab to...

ANTITRUST
House To Grill Google, Amazon, Facebook On SMB Impact
October 01, 2019

Big tech companies Facebook, Google and Amazon are going to be the subject of a new congressional hearing, in addition to the series of investigations ongoing from regulators and lawmakers already in motion, according to a report by Bloomberg. House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia...

ANTITRUST
Texas AG-Led Google Probe Taps Former Microsoft Attorney
September 26, 2019

Three consultants — one being an ex-Microsoft lawyer — were hired in a multi-state antitrust investigation of Google being led by the Texas attorney general’s office, Reuters reported on Thursday (Sept. 26).  The consultants are Roger Alford, Eugene Burrus and Cristina Caffarra.  Burrus was assistant...

ANTITRUST
Bill Gates Says No To Big Tech Breakup
September 17, 2019

Bill Gates isn’t in support of breaking up the biggest U.S. tech companies. That idea was introduced by U.S. Sen. and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren in March. To create an even playing field, Warren said she wants to make certain firms into “platform utilities,”...

ANTITRUST
FTC Details Antitrust Victories In Senate Subcommittee Testimony
September 17, 2019

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that it provided testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. During his testimony, FTC Chairman Joseph J. Simons revealed the agency’s recent successes in preventing anticompetitive mergers and conduct, as well as its...

ANTITRUST
FTC Letter Complains About DOJ’s Behavior In Big Tech Probes
September 16, 2019

A recent letter sent by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows there is bad blood between the U.S. government agencies investigating Big Tech firms. The FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice — as well as a number of state attorneys general — have been...