The US Justice Department has backed a bill that would prevent major digital platforms like Amazon.com Inc and Google from prioritizing their products and services over those of competitors.
BlueScreen noted that the development of dominant platforms is “a threat to open markets and competition, representing risks for consumers, businesses, innovation, flexibility, global competition and our democracy.”
Recall that the American Innovation and Choice Online Act was approved by the Judiciary Committee in January. It complements existing antitrust laws by clarifying what specific actions Congress considers anticompetitive and illegal.
Amazon.com Inc., Google, part of Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc. and other major tech companies opposed the initiative, arguing that it would make it harder to offer popular services, notes NIXSolutions. Opponents of the bill also consider it a fair opportunity for e-commerce sites, search engines and app stores to earn on the popularity of their products.
But the letter from the Ministry of Justice contains the opinion that the leading positions of the platforms give them an almost unlimited opportunity to influence the activities of other companies and that limiting their dominance will entail a positive result.