Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Adversaries call for reform of Big Tech after Justice Department sues Google

Adversaries call for reform of Big Tech after Justice Department sues Google

Calls for increased regulation of Big Tech have been amplified following the Justice Department's filing of a landmark antitrust suit against Google this week.

The Internet company has long been the target of nonprofit organizations wary of the giant's moves to box out rivals and those groups as well as former Silicon Valley insiders provided investigators with firsthand accounts and documents revealing industry misconduct, according to The New York Times.

Google, a $1 trillion-dollar company owned by Alphabet Inc., is just one of the Big Tech behemoths under close scrutiny and adversaries have filed legal complaints regarding privacy violations and complained of anticompetitive business practices before.

The same parties claimed the Tuesday suit as a win. For many, it also augured the advent of tighter regulation in the more than $5 trillion industry.
In a blog post in response to the filing, Google Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Kent Walker wrote that the suit is "deeply flawed" and that it would "do nothing to help consumers."



"To the contrary, it would artificially prop up lower-quality search alternatives, raise phone prices, and make it harder for people to get the search services they want to use," Walker said.

While Google has often been accused of using its development of Android software for smartphones to gain a competitive edge, the antitrust claim risks affecting prices for the devices.

Walker said the company is confident a court would conclude the suit "doesn’t square with either the facts or the law."

It's a stance other Big Tech companies share, arguing their products are more popular because users like them.

Critics, however, allege that Big Tech has too much power and has evolved past its original purpose, though opinions vary on how to handle the situation.

While some say antitrust laws are the key, others believe tougher rules and a shorter leash will be enough.

Many groups have already funneled tens of millions of dollars into fighting Big Tech's dominance, including billionaire George Soros and the Ford Foundation.

Support for their initiatives has picked up following the 2016 presidential election when foreign actors used social media to spread disinformation.



In October, the House antitrust subcommittee released a 449-page report about the tech industry, and lawmakers found that Big Tech companies had abused their power.

Speaking Monday at The Wall Street Journal's Tech Live conference, both Rhode Island Democrat Rep. David Cicilline and Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley called for stronger antitrust enforcement and privacy protections.

“What we really want is antitrust enforcement that brings real competition back into the marketplace,” said Cicilline.

The Justice Department -- alongside 11 state attorneys general -- wrote in a statement that its suit aimed to "remedy the competitive harms."

“Millions of Americans rely on the Internet and online platforms for their daily lives. Competition in this industry is vitally important, which is why today’s challenge against Google -- the gatekeeper of the Internet -- for violating antitrust laws is a monumental case both for the Department of Justice and for the American people,” said Attorney General William Barr.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×