[Industry] F.T.C. Launches Antitrust Investigation Into Microsoft

[donald]

F.T.C. Launches Antitrust Investigation Into Microsoft

(click the link, it is not behind a paywall)

Regulators are demanding information from the company on its cloud computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity products.

By David McCabe
Nov. 27, 2024Updated 7:15 p.m. ET

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into whether Microsoft has violated antitrust law in multiple segments of its wide-ranging business, according to two people familiar with the inquiry, the latest salvo in a battle by the government to rein in the most powerful tech companies.

The agency recently sent a long and detailed formal request for information to the company asking about its cloud computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity products, the people said. Of particular interest to the F.T.C. is the way that Microsoft bundles its cloud computing offerings with office and security products, they added, alongside the company’s growing power in the artificial intelligence space.

The aggressive move by the F.T.C. comes as its chair, Lina Khan, is probably heading out the door with less than two months left in the Biden administration. Ms. Khan, 35, has pushed the agency to police big companies and has tried to get ahead of fast-moving changes in the technology industry ...

Right on the heels of:
[Industry] US regulators seek to separate Chrome from Google, and other monopoly measures. (viewtopic.php?p=811284#p811284)

[DebianFox]

All of this, including the Google one, will die down as soon as Donald takes over from Biden.

[donald]

All of this, including the Google one, will die down as soon as Donald takes over from Biden.

I do not think so, historically Presidents don't touch these kinds of investigations which are politically neutral, likely because it is a consumer level of protection or regress.

United States v. AT&T, 552 F.Supp. 131 was in started 1982, however it was initiated under U.S. Presidents Nixon/Ford (Republicans) in 1974, then was committed in 1978 under U.S. President Carter (Democrat), and finalized under U.S. President Reagan (Republican).

AT&T made the smarted move I've ever seen in Corporate structuring and suggested their own break up. Makes a lot of sense, still baffling.

[Hallvor]

The European Commission opened an investigation against Microsoft in 2001, and it ended with a €561 million fine in 2013. https://www.reuters.com/article/technol ... BRE925005/

I won't hold my breath.

[donald]

EU needs to go the Russian route and sue for two undecillion roubles - a two followed by 36 zeroes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxvnwkl5kgo

[Hallvor]

EU needs to go the Russian route and sue for two undecillion roubles - a two followed by 36 zeroes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxvnwkl5kgo

I totally misjudged Microsoft, it seems. They just behave this way to raise money for the Russian fine. Bless them.

[friendlysalmon88]

I'm stunned that Microsoft has constantly evaded the US authorities and continue their monopolistic business tactics. I'd really like to see Apple,Google,Microsoft and other mega cap companies such as Amazon,Tesla, Boeing and other brought to justice.

[DebianFox]

All of this, including the Google one, will die down as soon as Donald takes over from Biden.

I do not think so, historically Presidents don't touch these kinds of investigations which are politically neutral, likely because it is a consumer level of protection or regress.

Historically Presidents have been normal presidents. The incoming President is not a normal one. His and cohorts rants about regulations and unnecessary government interference are red flags.

Let us see what happens. The outcome of this ruling and other upcoming rulings w.r.t Google will be pivotal for the future of industry and especially AI. More than Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and others, what happens to Google will impact the entire planet. None of the other companies can lay a claim to that.

[donald]

All of this, including the Google one, will die down as soon as Donald takes over from Biden.

I do not think so, historically Presidents don't touch these kinds of investigations which are politically neutral, likely because it is a consumer level of protection or regress.

Historically Presidents have been normal presidents. The incoming President is not a normal one. His and cohorts rants about regulations and unnecessary government interference are red flags.

Let us see what happens. The outcome of this ruling and other upcoming rulings w.r.t Google will be pivotal for the future of industry and especially AI. More than Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and others, what happens to Google will impact the entire planet. None of the other companies can lay a claim to that.

You know how I can tell that you did not read the article?

The inquiry into Microsoft continues the Biden administration’s scrutiny of the biggest tech companies over the way people consume information, communicate and shop online. Already, the F.T.C. has sued Amazon and Meta, accusing them of anticompetitive behavior and stifling rivals. The Justice Department has also sued Google over its dominance in advertising technology, and Apple for making it difficult for consumers to leave its tightly knit universe of devices and software.

I mentioned the presidency thing because as we have seen demonstratively over at least 50 years that most incoming Presidents tend to leave investigations toward the common cause alone.

Thus far the incoming presidency does not seem to challenge this state of law, though it does seem they may run things under precedence in parallel to current cases using the prior administrations foundational representations for suits.

[DebianFox]

Google dominates the search ad-tech space, yes. But that is not the space that is only going to get impacted if the remedies of DoJ are accepted. Google's domination in Video Streaming, Mobile and AI is more consequential than its ad-tech space.
Microsoft has lagged so far behind that it had to go to OpenAI. Amazon similarly lacked the firepower and had to back Anthropic and others.
If tomorrow say Microsoft is broken up, will it be missed? No. It is our generation's IBM and DEC. Its components/units/departments have replacements ready and working now.
If Amazon has strictures placed on it, will it impact the average joe? Maybe but not to the level that we are expecting.
Apple is a one-trick pony, i.e. it is an iPhone company. It simply does not command the dominance in world mobile market as does its competitors from Android.

I refuse to speak of Meta in the same breadth as these companies.

It is not the past that we live in. It is the future that we will live in. And the future will be determined with what happens to Google. Not Microsoft.