Driving the news: If passed, the bills could force Apple to change how it runs its app store, break apart Amazon's control of its marketplace and

Congress unveils bills to dismantle tech giants

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2021-06-11 20:00:05

Driving the news: If passed, the bills could force Apple to change how it runs its app store, break apart Amazon's control of its marketplace and halt Facebook and Google from buying smaller rivals in an effort to remake the online ecosystem.

Details: House lawmakers have sponsored five bipartisan bills that represent the culmination of a years-long inquiry into the power of Big Tech.

1. The American Innovation and Choice Online Act, led by Cicilline and Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Tex.), is meant to prevent dominant companies from unfairly disadvantaging rivals, such as preventing smaller companies from establishing their own prices for goods and services.

2. The Platform Competition and Opportunity Act, led by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), bans major online players from buying competitive threats. The bill is also supported by Reps. Cicilline, Nadler, Buck and Gooden.

3. The Ending Platform Monopolies Act, led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash) and supported by Reps. Cicilline, Nadler, Gooden and Buck, could break up Amazon by making it illegal for the company to both own the platform and offer competing services on it.