Antitrust Bill Targeting Digital Platforms Gets Support From DOJ

The Justice Department on Monday passed legislation barring major digital platforms like Amazon and Google from favouring their own products and services over competitors, marking it the first full-throated support of antitrust measure of the Biden administration.

A letter to bipartisan leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee signed by Peter Hyun says, “The Department views the rise of dominant platforms as presenting a threat to open markets and competition, with risks for consumers, businesses, innovation, resilience, global competitiveness and our democracy.”

The letter expresses support for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which was approved by the Senate’s judiciary panel as well as similar legislation moving through the House.

Amazon, Alphabet, Apple and others have proposed legislation claiming that it would make it harder to offer popular services. The opponents say that it is fair for e-commerce platforms, search engines and app stores to profit off their creations’ popularity. 

Invoices Complete the current antitrust laws by clarifying the types of behaviours to consider the views of Congress such as anti-competitive and illegal, the letter adds, noting that “doing so would enhance the ability of the DOJ and [the Federal Trade Commission] to challenge that conduct.”