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An influx of hard-line tech antitrust supporters into the Biden administration signals a new harshness of technology on the part of Democrats.
Why is this important: Tech companies that thrived without any regulation under the Obama administration will now be watched by advocates who have made a name for themselves by targeting the size and power of the behemoths.
Lina Khan, well-known in antitrust circles for her ideas to prevent platforms such as Amazon from competing directly with sellers, is being selected for a position as Democratic FTC commissioner, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The news was first reported by Politico.
- Khan is a former public interest advocate who made a stint at the FTC for former Democratic Commissioner Rohit Chopra, and served as an adviser to the House Judiciary Committee during its year-long investigation into Big Business Tech.
- Khan represents a new antitrust school of thought, where company size, market dominance, and the treatment of competitors are seen as anti-competitive behavior that regulators need to embrace – rather than judging monopoly power primarily on the basis of the harm done. to consumers.
Wu team, known for coining the term ‘net neutrality’, has been appointed special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy.
- His role in the White House will also encompass competition policy in other areas, according to a New York Times report.
- Wu is a professor at Columbia University and author of “The Curse of Bigness” on the dangers of the growing power of Big Tech.
- Previously, he worked for the New York Attorney General and also served in advisory positions to the FTC and the White House National Economic Council under the Obama administration.
To note: The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding its confirmation hearing on Tuesday with civil rights lawyer Vanita Gupta, appointed associate attorney general.
- If confirmed, Gupta, who was facebook review, would oversee the anti-trust and civil rights divisions at the Department of Justice. However, Biden has yet to name a leader for the antitrust division.
What they say: “The president has been clear – on the campaign, and, probably, more recently – that he is resisting abuse of power, and that includes abuse of power by big tech companies and their executives, ”the press secretary said. the White House, Jen Psaki Last week.
Reality check: The roles Khan and Wu will play in the administration are not final decision makers, so while they will influence the debate, they will not have the final say on the outcome.
What to watch: Choosing Biden to head the Justice Department’s antitrust division and the permanent chairman of the FTC, which launched lawsuits against Google and Facebook last year, will provide more clarity on the administration’s stance on the enforcement of antitrust laws.
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