I have done a whole lot of chronicling of the Joe Biden Administration’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – and its Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Antitrust Division – being WAY too hyper-active.
FTC: Over-Crying ‘Wolf!’ – While Unleashing the Government Wolves
FTC Took Biden’s Stupid Shotgun Advice
The FTC Is Hyperactive – And Attempting Time Travel
Of their attacking the tiniest of companies. And the tiniest of mergers.
$101 Million?!? The Ridiculous FTC Interference Minimum
Including mergers small and medium – that would actually be beneficial to consumers and the marketplace.
Hey Biden FTC: Not All Marketshare Consolidation Is Bad
One thing of which DC has done very little – is anything substantive about the hugest companies in the history of humanity: Big Tech.
We know why: Big Tech dominates DC – by having hyper-donated for a decade-plus to just about everyone.
Both halves of the DC UniParty have been richly remunerated for their comprehensive Big Tech fealty.
Biden, Inc’s very many small-and-medium-sized victims – can’t hope to compete in DC with Big Tech.
Big Tech, Big Cash: Washington’s New Power Players
Or in the marketplace with Big Tech. Especially when Big Tech bribes DC to go after Big Tech’s competitors – and not Big Tech.
Big Tech’s DC dominance is why the Internet is nearly three decades old – and DC STILL hasn’t extruded any sort of data privacy legislation.
Data Protection Laws of the World:
“There is no comprehensive national privacy law in the United States.”
Big Tech Loves Talking Up Privacy – While Trying to Kill Privacy Legislation
And if actual privacy legislation ever does happen? Guess what will happen….
Big Tech Wants a Privacy Law Rigged in Their Favor
Big Tech Using an Army of Lobbyists to Defang Privacy Laws
What about antitrust legislation? Glad I’m pretending you asked.
Congress’ Antitrust Legislation Avoids Regulating Many Big Tech Companies:
“Last-minute changes to major antitrust legislation working its way through the House appears to exempt several Big Tech companies from being affected by its regulations.
“The legislation, which has been months in the making and was crafted to take on Big Tech monopolies….”
In DC,, even what specifically starts as Big Tech Target action? Ends up being Big Tech Exemption action.
Big Tech’s comprehensive control of DC – certainly also results in regulatory agency capture. Which means the FTC and the DOJ.
They have LONG turned a blinded eye to Big Tech’s glaringly obvious marketplace dominance.
Congress’ Big Tech Investigation Finds Companies Wield ‘Monopoly Power’
Peter Thiel: Google Is a Monopoly
Apple’s Social Monopoly: How Apple Is Monopolizing The World
Microsoft Has a Monopoly on Identity, and Everyone Knows It Except the FTC
Apple and Google Duopoly Limits Competition and Choice
As but one example – of very, VERY many: Remember this?
Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler, an App That Drew Trump Supporters:
“The companies pulled support for the “free speech” social network, all but killing the service just as many conservatives are seeking alternatives to Facebook and Twitter.”
Collusion, anyone? Election interference, anyone?
Well, FINALLY, the FTC-DOJ Big Tech sleepwalkers – have awoken at least a little.
In Its First Monopoly Trial of Modern Internet Era, U.S. Sets Sights on Google:
“The 10-week trial, set to begin Tuesday, amps up efforts to rein in Big Tech by targeting the core search business that turned Google into a $1.7 trillion behemoth….
“The Justice Department has spent three years over two presidential administrations building the case that Google illegally abused its power over online search to throttle competition.”
THREE YEARS?!? Big Tech money – gets them LOTS of DC feet-dragging:
“There seems to be an unwritten monetary cap on FTC action. If a company is Big – it can act with nigh total impunity from ACTUAL FTC scrutiny.
“Cases are made – almost instantly – against small businesses like Jet Blue and Spirit.
“Big Business? Not so much.
“‘Contours of Potential Federal Trade Commission Case Against Amazon Become Clearer’:
“‘The FTC has been investigating the $1.4 trillion online retailer, movie studio owner, primary care medical provider, Whole Foods grocery store holder, and cloud services company for years….’
“With ALL of this hyper-acquisition going on? ‘The FTC has been investigating…for years….’
“What the heck is taking so frigging long?”
Big Tech money – also gets them LOTS of market domination….
Google Paying Over $10 Billion a Year to Maintain Monopoly – US Antitrust Trial Hears:
“Google had ‘weaponized’ the use of default agreements to discourage rivals.”
What is a default agreement? Glad I pretended you asked….
Google Is Still Paying Apple Billions to Be the Default Search Engine in Safari
Collusion, anyone?
Get that? Google is SO dominant in Search, fellow Big Tech giant Microsoft has spent years and many billions of dollars on its Bing search engine – and STILL can’t wedge its way into the marketplace….
Search Engine Market Share in Sep 2023 (U.S. & Worldwide):
“Google had around 93.18% market share in the search engine market worldwide.
“Bing had around 2.87% market share in the search engine market worldwide.”
But Google has been that dominant – for YEARS. Only now is DC FINALLY awakening to it.
Oh: You fellow less government types?
Why Conservatives Must Support The DOJ Against Google
You really should.
And to quote Chicago, that should be only the beginning.
Because while DC slept for a decade-plus, MANY similar antitrust things happened.
Let us at this moment focus on but one:
Market mass consolidation….
How Big Tech Got So Big: Hundreds of Acquisitions
List of Google’s 259 Acquisitions
Amazon: 127 Company Acquisitions – 0 FTC Blocks of Company Acquisitions
Apple Buys a Company Every Three to Four Weeks
ALL of that – and more – with hardly a sideways glance from DC.
On all of this – and a WHOLE lot more?
DC had better start looking a WHOLE lot harder….