Google exec put on hot seat in Congress over advertising power
The Justice Department is reportedly readying a major case accusing Google of abusing its dominance in online search and advertising to stifle competition and boost its profits.
Antitrust
Articles
Justice Department poised to file antitrust lawsuit against Google
The competition inquiry, which began last year, focuses on Google’s sprawling search and advertising empire and the extent to which it harms rivals and consumers.
Lawmakers question Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google chiefs about market power
The four chief executives—Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai—took the witness stand to fiercely defend their businesses Wednesday.
Nearly all states backing antitrust investigation into Facebook
A state-level antitrust investigation into the social network now has the backing of a bipartisan group of 47 attorneys general.
Lawmakers ask four big tech companies for documents in probe
House lawmakers investigating the market dominance of Big Tech on Friday asked Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple for a broad range of documents.
Amazon probed by U.S. antitrust officials over marketplace
A team of Federal Trade Commission investigators has begun interviewing small businesses that sell products on Amazon.com to determine whether the e-commerce giant is using its market power to hurt competition.
Almost all states, including Indiana, target Google in new antitrust probe
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has a market value of more than $820 billion and controls so many facets of the internet that it’s fairly impossible to surf the web for long without running into at least one of its services.
States set to hit Facebook, Google with new antitrust probes
Two bipartisan groups of state attorneys general are launching separate antitrust investigations into Facebook and Google, adding to regulatory scrutiny of two of the world’s largest and most ubiquitous tech companies.
Justice Department ratchets up antitrust scrutiny of Big Tech
The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday opened a sweeping antitrust investigation of major technology companies and whether their online platforms have hurt competition, suppressed innovation or otherwise harmed consumers.
U.S. House mulls antitrust help for news industry
Members of both parties on Tuesday suggested legislation may be necessary for the financially struggling U.S. news industry as lawmakers began a bipartisan investigation into the market dominance of Silicon Valley companies.
Anthem’s loveless marriage heads toward predictable end
Doubters about the $48 billion Anthem-Cigna merger have been in abundance from the start—both on antitrust grounds and on concerns over cultural fit.
Federal settlement puts local billboards under new ownership
Circle City Outdoor has acquired 13 area billboards as a result of an antitrust arrangement seeking to keep the market competitive for advertisers.
Anthem, Cigna to begin court fight to save $48 billion merger
Anthem Inc.’s proposed merger with Cigna Corp. would reduce health-care competition and raise costs for consumers, U.S. antitrust lawyers will argue Monday when the government goes to court to try to block the transaction.
DuPont-Dow merger faces big EU obstacle
European antitrust officials decided this month to launch a full-blown investigation into the proposed merger Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co.
Anthem may sacrifice biz lines to get its Cigna deal
No one is sure whether Anthem and the Justice Department can hash out a settlement before the federal case to block the insurer's $54 billion acquisition of Cigna Corp. goes to trial in November.
Feds force local cement facility to change hands
A merger between two international cement companies—and a related antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission—has put an east-side Indianapolis facility under new ownership.
Dow’s merger plans with DuPont might hit antitrust roadblock
The proposed merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. would create the world’s largest agricultural-products company. But that’s bad news for farmers, according to some farm groups and antitrust experts.
Investors betting no on Anthem mega-deal
Lots of investors are betting health insurance giants Anthem Inc. and Cigna Corp. won’t ever make it to the altar—an outlook driven by concerns antitrust regulators or other obstacles will prevent consummating the $45 billion deal.
Heft not enough to justify insurer deals, top DOJ lawyer says
Assistant Attorney General William Baer said that consumer choice is a bigger priority than health companies’ desire to add market share and gain leverage over providers like hospitals.
Antitrust lawyers said to be leaning against Comcast merger
Staff attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division are nearing a recommendation to block Comcast Corp.’s bid to buy Time Warner Cable Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.