Justice Department
@TheJusticeDept
Justice Department Reviewing the Practices of Market-Leading Online Platforms
Justice Department Reviewing the Practices of Market-Leading Online Platforms https://t.co/GBlSLDIy4X
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) July 23, 2019
Full text of DOJ release
[quote: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reviewing-practices-market-leading-online-platforms]
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Justice Department Reviewing the Practices of Market-Leading Online Platforms
Review Focuses on Practices that Create or Maintain Structural Impediments to Greater Competition and User Benefits
The Department of Justice announced today that the Department’s Antitrust Division is reviewing whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.
The Department’s review will consider the widespread concerns that consumers, businesses, and entrepreneurs have expressed about search, social media, and some retail services online. The Department’s Antitrust Division is conferring with and seeking information from the public, including industry participants who have direct insight into competition in online platforms, as well as others.
“Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division. “The Department’s antitrust review will explore these important issues.”
The goal of the Department’s review is to assess the competitive conditions in the online marketplace in an objective and fair-minded manner and to ensure Americans have access to free markets in which companies compete on the merits to provide services that users want. If violations of law are identified, the Department will proceed appropriately to seek redress.
Topic(s):
Antitrust
Component(s):
Antitrust Division
Press Release Number:
19-799[/quote]
(Press release not subject to copyright)