US Justice Department Offers Support To Bill Against Big Tech Dominancy

(RTTNews) - The U.S Justice Department is supporting a bipartisan Senate Bill, which would prevent big tech companies like Apple and Google from favoring their products over competitors'. This latest move is being seen as an effort to control the power and clout enjoyed by Big Tech firms.

In a letter addressed to top lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, a senior most Department of Justice official extended support for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and its companion bill in the House.

In January, the Senate panel had voted to send the bill for a full-floor vote, inspite of there being stiff opposition from the tech leaders, who were of the opinion that the Bill could have inadvertent consequences.

In the letter signed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Peter S. Hyun, the Justice Department said, "The Department views the rise of dominant platforms as presenting a threat to open markets and competition, with risks for consumers, businesses, innovation, resiliency, global competitiveness, and our democracy."

The Senate bill is mostly likely to target biggest tech firms like Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, based on market valuation and user base. The bill will prevent tech companies from promoting their own products and services in search results. These are some of the other protective measures the Bill suggests with the aim of promoting competition.

The letter said, "If enacted, we believe that this legislation has the potential to have a positive effect on dynamism in digital markets going forward. Our future global competitiveness depends on innovators and entrepreneurs having the ability to access markets free from dominant incumbents that impede innovation, competition, resiliency, and widespread prosperity."

Even though President Joe Biden has always supported action against companies, which are engaged in anti-competitive business practices across several sectors, the letter is the first time his Government has supported a certain legislation against major tech companies. The companies are of the opinion that the anti-trust bill and other proposals may have negative impact on national security and user privacy.

According to reports, before the panel vote in January, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai had personally talked with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a move to stop the Bill.

While the panel voted to send the bill forward, many senators said that the final legislation will need changes before they put their approval stamp on it.