July 23 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it is conducting an antitrust investigation into U.S. tech companies.
The review is set to determine how search, social media and some online retailers have acheived power and whether they are engaging in practices to reduce competition, stifle innovation or otherwise harm consumers.
“Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands,” Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division said. “The department’s antitrust review will explore these important issues.”
As part of the review, the Justice Department’s antitrust department will seek information from the public “including industry participants who have direct insight into competition in online platforms, as well as others,” the announcement stated.
The department said the goal of the review is to “assess the competitive conditions in the online marketplace.”
