The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice are actively pursuing legal action against major tech companies, including Meta, Google, Amazon, and Apple for antitrust violations. The lawsuits filed by these agencies are significant, with multiple cases brought against Google alone. Recently, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google breached antitrust laws in its efforts to protect its search business.
Judge Mehta’s ruling was unequivocal: “Google is a monopolist and has behaved as such to preserve its monopoly.”
While the outcome of this ruling is pending, there is speculation that the FTC may propose a drastic solution: breaking up Google by divesting parts or all of its search business.
This legal action follows similar suits against other tech giants. In March, the DOJ initiated an antitrust lawsuit against Apple alleging actions taken by the company to hinder users from switching from iPhones to rival devices.
In 2020, Meta faced an FTC lawsuit for anticompetitive practices related to its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp. Despite ongoing developments in this case, it remains unresolved but could potentially lead to Meta being compelled to sell off these platforms.
Most recently, Amazon was targeted by the FTC for employing unfair tactics aimed at maintaining its monopoly power through anti-competitive strategies.
2024-10-29 23:15:02
Article from www.computerworld.com