The Justice Department has announced a new probe, from its antitrust division, into the practices of social media companies:
NEW: DOJ announces antitrust probe into social media companies: “Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands." pic.twitter.com/L96cRYFUUt
— Nate Madden (@NateOnTheHill) July 23, 2019
Justice Department Reviewing the Practices of Market-Leading Online Platforms https://t.co/GBlSLDIy4X
— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) July 23, 2019
The Department of Justice announced today that the Department’s Antitrust Division is reviewing whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.
The Department’s review will consider the widespread concerns that consumers, businesses, and entrepreneurs have expressed about search, social media, and some retail services online. The Department’s Antitrust Division is conferring with and seeking information from the public, including industry participants who have direct insight into competition in online platforms, as well as others.
“Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division. “The Department’s antitrust review will explore these important issues.”
The goal of the Department’s review is to assess the competitive conditions in the online marketplace in an objective and fair-minded manner and to ensure Americans have access to free markets in which companies compete on the merits to provide services that users want. If violations of law are identified, the Department will proceed appropriately to seek redress.
Wow. This is big.
Given all we’ve learned about Google and other social media companies within the last few years, I think a probe like this is definitely warranted.
Speaking of Google, Project Veritas has another big drop happening tomorrow from another Google insider. Except this time, the senior software engineer turned whistleblower is going to reveal his identity instead of hiding in the shadows. Apparently he’s going to further make the case that Google is NOT the neutral platform they claim to be.