The proposed merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster accelerates industry trends toward the production of best-sellers at the expense of the incubation of new voices or ideas.
Tag Archives: Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues
PGA Tour Can Bar LIV Golfers From Playoff, Judge Rules
The narrow ruling came less than 48 hours before the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs in Memphis, but the broader turmoil could last for years.
Mickelson and Other LIV Golfers File Antitrust Suit Against PGA Tour
A complaint filed on behalf of 11 players pushed back against the punishments imposed by the PGA Tour for players who participate in events sponsored by the upstart LIV series.
Why the Penguin Random House Merger Is Also About Amazon
The U.S. wants to stop Penguin Random House from buying Simon & Schuster. The elephant in the room is Amazon.
Will the Biggest Publisher in the United States Get Even Bigger?
The Biden administration is suing to block Penguin Random House from buying Simon & Schuster. A United States District Court will decide if the sale can proceed.
F.T.C. Chair Lina Khan Upends Antitrust Standards by Suing Meta
Lina Khan may set off a shift in how Washington regulates competition by filing cases in tech areas before they mature. She faces an uphill climb.
F.T.C. Sues to Block Meta Virtual Reality Deal as It Confronts Big Tech
The move is a potential blow to Meta’s metaverse efforts and signals a shift in how the Federal Trade Commission is approaching tech deals.
Amazon C.E.O. Andy Jassy Breaks From the Bezos Way
Jeff Bezos’ successor has set himself apart with a hands-on approach in Washington.
The LIV Golf Controversy Raises Critical Antitrust Questions
When is restraint of trade a good thing?
We Know How America Got Such a Corporate-Friendly Court
Can the right really be realigned with the working class?
Lina Khan, a Big Tech Critic, Tries Answering Her Own Detractors
In an interview, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission laid out some of her plans now that she has a Democratic majority at the agency.
What Texas Gains by Investigating Twitter’s Fake Accounts
For Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, there are positives. Aligning with Elon Musk? Check. Politically helpful? Check.
To Cut Gas Prices, Congress Should Allow the U.S. to Sue OPEC
Congress should allow the Justice Department to sue OPEC for violating antitrust laws.
When Picking Judges, Democrats Need to Stop Ignoring Economics
President Biden needs to nominate jurists who share his commitment to revitalizing antitrust enforcement. So far, he has not.
Musk and Bezo Show the Perils of Plutocratic Pettiness
Technology titans are missing that old adulation.
How Biden Could Alleviate the Baby Formula Shortage
Why is the wealthiest country in the world struggling to provide basic nutrition to so many children?
BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street Control a Piece of Nearly Everything
BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street collectively manage more than $20 trillion in assets. It’s not a political problem, but it might be an economic one.
New F.T.C. Majority Gives Lina Khan a Chance to Push an Aggressive Agenda
The confirmation of a third Democrat creates an opportunity for Lina Khan, the Federal Trade Commission’s chair, to advance efforts to rein in corporate power.
What Does the Right Do When Big Business Turns Against Conservatism?
How conservatives put their hope in Elon Musk and Ron DeSantis.
As Europe Approves New Tech Laws, the U.S. Falls Further Behind
Federal privacy bills, security legislation and antitrust laws to address the power of the tech giants have all failed to advance in Congress, despite hand wringing and shows of bipartisan support.
E.U. Takes Aim at Social Media’s Harms With Landmark New Law
The Digital Services Act would force Meta, Google and others to combat misinformation and restrict certain online ads. How European officials will wield it remains to be seen.
Save America’s Patent System
It needs to promote innovation, not reward legal trickery.
Elon Musk’s Ultimate Twitter Troll: A Takeover Bid
The billionaire could be at the helm of the internet’s loudest megaphone.
U.S. Tries New Tactic to Protect Workers’ Pay: Antitrust Law
The Justice Department is using antitrust law to charge employers with colluding to hold down wages. The move adds to a barrage of civil challenges.
Bidding War for Spirit Could Undercut Power of Four Big Airlines
The rival bids for Spirit from Frontier and JetBlue could create an airline that presents a more formidable challenge to American, Delta, Southwest and United.
E.U. Takes Aim at Big Tech’s Power With Landmark Digital Act
The European Union is expected to finalize the Digital Markets Act, the most sweeping legislation to regulate tech since a European privacy law was passed in 2018.
How Apple, Not Government, Became Tech’s Biggest Regulator
Kara Swisher asks the Silicon Valley congressman Ro Khanna why Congress is so behind.
House Panel Calls for Criminal Investigation Into Amazon
Members of the House Judiciary committee accused Amazon of obstructing its inquiry into how the company treats third-party sellers.
Employer Practices Limit Workers’ Choices and Wages, U.S. Study Argues
A Biden administration report says collusion and other constraints on competition hold down pay and prospects in the labor market.
Justice Dept. Plans to Block $13 Billion Deal by UnitedHealth Group
The agency’s expected lawsuit against the deal for a health technology company would be the latest move by the Biden administration to quash corporate consolidation.
A Gene Sequencing Pioneer Battles Over What It Can Buy
Is Illumina, a gene-sequencing powerhouse, trying to speed innovation in the field of cancer blood tests or thwart it with an acquisition?
Nvidia Deal to Buy Arm From SoftBank Is Off After Setbacks
The deal, which was initially valued at $40 billion, encountered regulatory scrutiny, including an F.T.C. lawsuit.
6 Reasons Meta Is in Trouble
The company formerly known as Facebook has hit major turbulence as it suffered its biggest one-day wipeout ever.
Google Faces New Antitrust Law in Europe
A small search engine company in the Czech Republic helped inspire a law that is poised to put major limits on tech giants like Google.
What The Microsoft-Activision Deal Means for Merger Guidelines
The F.T.C. and D.O.J. are hampered by persistent underinvestment in regulatory oversight.
Will Congress Pass New Regulation on Big Tech? Time May Be Running Out.
With midterm elections approaching, a vote expected on Thursday could be the first of several that Congress takes on bills aimed at the industry.
Elizabeth Warren Claps Back at Elon Musk
The Massachusetts senator defends her plan to tax billionaires and break up Big Tech.
Exclusive: Lina Khan Is (Still) Bursting Big Tech’s Bubble
The FTC Chair’s exclusive conversation with Kara Swisher and Andrew Ross Sorkin.
Why Biden Shouldn’t Blame Inflation on Monopolies
A Biden initiative comes in for weirdly vehement criticism.
Building a Better Meatpacking Industry
Instead of breaking up the big meatpacking companies, the Biden administration is supporting the creation of rivals.
Martin Shkreli Barred From Drug Industry and Must Repay $64.6 Million
A federal judge found that Mr. Shkreli violated state and federal antitrust laws by trying to maintain a monopoly over a lifesaving drug and must pay back the excess profits.
Do Colleges Deserve an Exemption From Antitrust Law?
It has gotten harder to justify giving them special treatment
Facebook Antitrust Suit Can Move Forward, Judge Says
The government can proceed with its claims that the company abused its monopoly power through acquisitions.
Economists Pin More Blame on Tech for Rising Inequality
Recent research underlines the central role that automation has played in widening disparities.
In Lawsuit, Yale and Other Elite Colleges Are Accused of Limiting Financial Aid
The federal lawsuit against Yale, M.I.T. and other colleges is the latest legal action to question admissions practices.
Record Beef Prices, but Ranchers Aren’t Cashing In
“You’re feeding America and going broke doing it”: After years of consolidation, four companies dominate the meatpacking industry, while many ranchers are barely hanging on.
Biden Turns to Antitrust Enforcers to Combat Inflation
A wide-ranging presidential order helped block a railroad merger and tackle supply-chain problems, and it is planting the seeds for bigger actions.
As Prices Rise Due to Inflation, Biden Turns to Antitrust Enforcers
A wide-ranging presidential order helped block a railroad merger and tackle supply-chain problems, and it is planting the seeds for bigger actions.
Profiteering Is in the Eye of the Beholder
Not every case of big profits is unethical or illegal.
Penguin Random House Defends Effort to Buy Simon & Schuster
The Biden administration has challenged the deal over concerns it would harm authors, but the publisher said that argument is a misunderstanding of how the book industry works.