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Big Tech under pressure

The US and EU move to curb the market influence of Silicon Valley’s technology giants.

The European Union has this week proposed new rules that would police the practices of big technology companies, including US giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. As well as delivering greater scrutiny, the laws, if passed, would even allow for the forced break-up of businesses deemed to be anti-competitive. The long awaited Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act are seen as attempts to redefine the regulatory framework for a sector that will be key to the economy of the future. Meanwhile in the United States, the federal government and a large number of states have filed a case against Facebook alleging that the company is obstructing competition by buying up rivals. The interventions have been welcomed by those who’ve long argued for targeted measures aimed at the growing digital economy. But technology companies say they’re being penalised for their innovative business models. So have the titans of Silicon Valley become too big for the greater good, and - if so - should they be reformed or broken up? Ritula Shah and guests discuss the renewed focus on regulating global technology companies and what might come of it.

Available now

53 minutes

Contributors

Rana Foroohar - FT journalist and author of 'Don't Be Evil: How Big Tech Betrayed Its Founding Principles - And All of Us'

Fiona M. Scott Morton - Professor of Economics at the Yale School Of Management, formerly of the Antitrust Division in the US Department of Justice

Marietje Schaake - International Policy Director for the Cyber Policy Center at Stanford University and a former MEP for The Netherlands

Scott Galloway - A professor at the NYU Stern School of Business and author of the books: ‘The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google’ and 'Post Corona: from Crisis to Opportunity'

Photo

The Google, Apple Store, Facebook and Amazon app logos - Credit: Getty Images

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  • Fri 18 Dec 2020 10:06GMT
  • Sat 19 Dec 2020 00:06GMT

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