Missouri Senator Josh Hawley wants to “bust up” Big Tech companies like Google and Amazon.
The Republican says when it comes to Big Tech, there needs to be more accountability and competition. This week, Senator Hawley introduced the Bust Up Big Tech Act, which would limit or ban companies like Amazon and Google from running an online marketplace and selling goods on that same site. Professor Chris Bronk, at the University of Houston, says the bill raises important antitrust issues.
“I don’t disagree with the idea that some of these companies are a monopoly. I mean, what is Facebook’s competitor?” Bronk asked. “These companies all do have portions of business in a lot of different areas.”
However, he says the bill has got no chance of passing. There's not enough widespread support, and no companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“There is a review process for pursuing antitrust,” Bronk said. “It’s usually a review process when we have a monopoly, somewhere in the Department of Justice, in the antitrust division.”
Still, lawmakers in both the Senate and the House continue to hold hearings this month examining Big Tech companies' business practices.