DOJ Escalates Big Tech Scrutiny in the U.S. With New Antitrust Probe

The U.S. Justice Department announced a broad antitrust review into whether the tech companies are using their power to thwart competition, according to Bloomberg.

The department’s antitrust division disclosed plans to scrutinize tech platforms following mounting criticism across Washington that the companies have become too big and too powerful. The department didn’t specify which firms it would look at but strongly suggested Facebook, Google and Amazon are in the cross-hairs.

The announcement is the latest sign of the escalating pressure on tech giants, from Capitol Hill to President Donald Trump, who accuses the companies of silencing conservative views. The giants of the industry are under fire over massive collection of user data, failing to police content on their platforms, and claims that they are harming competition and reducing choices for consumers.

The Justice Department review, led by antitrust chief Makan Delrahim, represents a new level of scrutiny of the industry after news in May that the U.S. antitrust agencies carved up oversight of four tech giants, with the department taking Google and Apple, and the FTC claiming Facebook and Amazon. Companies are now potentially exposed to investigations by both agencies, because their accord calls for separating the scrutiny by business practices, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The antitrust division is already taking steps in its inquiry, hearing out third parties who have complaints about competitive harm, according to the people. Its review will look at concerns raised by consumers, businesses and entrepreneurs about search, social media and online retail, according to the statement.

Tech giants are separately contending with a broad investigation by the House antitrust panel led by David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat. He has accused Facebook, Google and Amazon of “evasive, incomplete, or misleading answers“ when their executives testified before his committee last week.