13December 7, 2020EU’sglobalinfluence.AftervisitingChinain2016,Vestager
saidmeetingswithChineseofficialsprovidedherwitha “first-
handsenseofthe... urgencyofChina’sreform.”Thegovern-
ment’smoveagainstAntshowsit hasmorepowertocurbthe
dominanceoftechcompanies than do Western democracies.
Indeed, few would argue that Europe’s antitrust efforts have
nt. “There’s an increasing consensus that
omplished is likely not enough,” Bradford
imposed on Google have not significantly
dynamics or facilitated new entry.”
ooking for new tools. The EU hit Amazon
mplaint alleging that it uses independent
fit its own retail arm. New “gatekeeper”
d by yearend could head off bad behav-
ns by threatening fines, or breakups in
mpanies that don’t share customer data
as well as for operators of marketplaces
that favor their own services.
w breed of antitrust experts is looking
oncept that higher prices are the primary
ve harm. They say consideration should
, control over data, workers’ rights, and
on smaller companies, more than a fifth
ed in the U.S. since the start of the pan-
ans, in general, have grown increasingly
edia companies: More than 60% say the
e effect on the country, and almost half
ion for social media, according to a 2020
enter study.
ties of the incoming Biden administration
e continuing the Justice Department’s
oly abuse suit already under way against
le. It’s a reversal from a general embrace
tech giants, which rose from the ashes of
e dot-com crash and a major antitrust case
nst Microsoft Corp. 20 years ago.
David Cicilline (D-R.I.) is preparing leg-
landmark report he authored alleging
ust violations by Big Tech. His proposal
mpetition cops with new powers to safe-
umers but also “workers, entrepreneurs,
esses, open markets, a fair economy, and
according to the report.
ep ramping up its assault on tech compa-
i Jinping continues to consolidate power.
asy. The country will have to spur com-
nagingit,saysAndrewPolk,co-founder
a,a consultantinBeijing.“Thesetech
like every other company in China, are
e level, support state policy. And that’s
anywhere else in the world.”
ft rules are subject to change. But they’ll
act on the tech sector, says Scott Yu, an
Beijing-based Zhong Lun Law Firm. The
als that industry leaders seeking further
consolidationthroughacquisitionsnowfacerestrictions,
asthegovernmentcouldforcethecompaniestofirstdivest
assets.“Chineseinternetgiantswillnolongerhavethatluxury
to bypass the antitrust rules,” he says. <BW> �With Coco Liu,
Natalia Drozdiak, Aoife White, Colum Murphy, Gerrit de Vynck,
David McLaughlin, and Zheping Huang