The House Judiciary Committee has launched a bipartisan sweeping probe into major tech companies, with hearings that will examine 'dominant, unregulated' platforms.
The hearings come amid increased scrutiny of the power of big tech firms like Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon, which already have come under congressional scrutiny and drawn calls for regulation.
A statement by Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler of New York did not identify individual companies, but prior headlines left little doubt who the players would be.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has launched an investigation into big tech firms and their 'extraordinary power'
'A small number of dominant, unregulated platforms have extraordinary power over commerce, communication, and information online,' Nadler said in a statement announcing the hearings.
'Based on investigative reporting and oversight by international policymakers and enforcers, there are concerns that these platforms have the incentive and ability to harm the competitive process,' he said.
He did not promise a legislative response, but his language suggested one could come.
'The Antitrust Subcommittee will conduct a top-to-bottom review of the market power held by giant tech platforms. This is the first time Congress has undertaken an investigation into this behavior,' Nadler said.
The move follows news that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), will lead an antitrust investigation into how Facebook Inc’s practices affect its digital competition, leaving the Justice Department control over a possible Google probe. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has faced pressure from Congress over company practices
Representative Doug Collins (Republican of Georgia) also released a statement backing the probe
Apple CEO Tim Cook waves after speaking at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif., Monday, June 3, 2019
