Issues

DOJ Antitrust Fever Led to Google Lawsuit—Now Can They Win It?

"The DOJ has pulled together a narrow suit that they may have a chance of winning. But it’s not going to satisfy the people who say break up big tech.” — Eleanor Fox, Professor of Law, New York University

 

Eleanor Fox
Source: Forbes
November 23, 2020

Government kept to the sidelines as Google got big. Now regulators have the chance to rein the company back in.

“U. S. antitrust law gives a huge amount of freedom to firms to decide what competitive strategies they want,”  — Eleanor Fox, Professor of Law, New York University

Eleanor Fox
Source: The Washington Post
October 12, 2020

Government kept to the sidelines as Google got big. Now regulators have the chance to rein the company back in.

“There have been so many visible expressions of intent to bring a case, to do something, that they [U.S. Justice Department] cannot retreat from that if they are to retain any vestige of credibility,” — William Kovacic, Professor of Law, George Washington University

William E. Kovacic
Source: The Washington Post
October 12, 2020

'Near-perfect market intelligence': Why a House report says Big Tech monopolies are uniquely powerful

"If Congress does flip, you could end up with some kind of new scheme for the big digital marketplaces. It'd be like the Radio Act of 1927, a different paradigm for thinking of online platforms." — Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University

Tim Wu
Source: CNN
October 10, 2020

This Deal Helped Turn Google Into an Ad Powerhouse. Is That a Problem?

“If I knew in 2007 what I know now, I would have voted to challenge the DoubleClick acquisition,” — William Kovacic, Professor of Law, George Washington University
William E. Kovacic
Source: The New York Times
September 21, 2020

When Regulators Fail to Rein in Big Tech, Some Turn to Antitrust Litigation

Unlike cases brought by government agencies, which presumably seek to address consumer harm, judges sometimes view private plaintiffs as whining about their inability to compete. — Eleanor Fox, Professor of Antitrust Law, New York University
Eleanor Fox
Source: The Washington Post
August 21, 2020

Apple's 'Extreme' App Policies Give Google Defense in Fortnite Antitrust Suit

“Having other options definitely makes it a bit harder to say something is anticompetitive,” Economides said, speaking generally about app stores.“ With Apple, things are extreme because there’s no alternative whatsoever. That makes for a stronger potential case.” — Nicholas Economides, Professor of Economics, New York University
Nicholas Economides
Source: Reuters
August 17, 2020

Appeals Court Ruling for Qualcomm “A Victory of Theory Over Facts”

“I would describe it as a victory of theory over facts.” — Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University
Tim Wu
Source: Ars Technica
August 14, 2020

What Years of Emails and Texts Reveal About Your Friendly Tech Companies

The antitrust subcommittee that held last week’s hearings may be helping shake the law out of a long slumber, but the hearings will be little more than Kabuki theater unless legal complaints are filed and anticompetitive mergers are stopped. — Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University

Tim Wu
Source: The New York Times
August 4, 2020

Big Tech’s ‘Buy and Kill’ Tactics Come Under Scrutiny

In this Financial Times article, Stanford Professor of Law Mark Lemley weighs in on the FTC's request to the five largest U.S. technology companies to provide information about prior acquisitions.
Mark Lemley
Source: Financial Times
February 13, 2020