Public Knowledge Urges Congress to Tackle Digital Platform Power by Strengthening Antitrust Laws, Regulating Platforms
Public Knowledge Urges Congress to Tackle Digital Platform Power by Strengthening Antitrust Laws, Regulating Platforms
Public Knowledge Urges Congress to Tackle Digital Platform Power by Strengthening Antitrust Laws, Regulating Platforms

    Get Involved Today

    Today, Public Knowledge sent a letter urging the House Antitrust Subcommittee to address competition issues in digital platform markets by improving the nation’s antitrust laws. The letter highlights concerns over the narrowing of antitrust law as well as the need for a competition regulator focused on digital platforms.

    The following is an excerpt from the letter:

    “Antitrust laws should be recalibrated to adjust the balance between overenforcement and underenforcement. Currently, antitrust court decisions express too much concern about potential overenforcement, and as a result we get less enforcement than is needed.

    “[While these reforms would] improve our current antitrust standards, antitrust cannot be the sole tool to address all the thorny issues that the platforms present. The best solution would be creating a new digital platform-focused agency to regulate the platforms. Because antitrust cannot do enough by itself to expand competition and innovation, such an agency is needed to rein in potential abuses by dominant platforms.”

    The following can be attributed to Charlotte Slaiman, Competition Policy Director at Public Knowledge:

    “If we want to face the broad challenges presented by the rising power of digital platforms head-on, then we need Congress to use all the tools at its disposal, including strengthening antitrust laws as well as passing new laws and rules targeting digital platforms. It’s the only way the rest of us — including our communities, consumers, and entrepreneurs — will reap the benefits of a competitive marketplace.”

    You may view the letter here.

    Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.