Antitrust | Reason Archives (original) (raw)

Wide angle view of the facade of the Berlaymont building, headquarters of the European Commission. | 	imageBROKER/Werner Lerooy/Newscom

European Union

European Commission Fines Meta for Serving Consumers

If advertisers don’t want to give data to Facebook Marketplace, they shouldn’t advertise on Facebook.

Jack Nicastro | 11.18.2024 12:30 PM

ABOLISHANTITRUSTLAW | Illustration: iStock

Business and Industry

Abolish Antitrust Law

Having a large market share may just mean that a company is really good at what it does.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 11.14.2024 6:00 AM

Facade of the Department of Justice headquarters | Valerie Plesch/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

Antitrust

Jet Blue and American Airlines Guilty in Antitrust Suit, Despite No Clear Harm to Consumers

The First Circuit's ruling is another blow to the consumer welfare standard.

Jack Nicastro | 11.13.2024 11:15 AM

Lina Khan | Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA/Newscom

Federal Trade Commission

Good Riddance, Lina Khan

Under Khan's leadership, the Federal Trade Commission has been bad for business and bad for consumers.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 11.7.2024 11:31 AM

The Google logo is seen underneath a magnifying glass | ID 104313256 © Bigtunaonline | Dreamstime.com

Big Government

The Justice Department's Proposals for Breaking Up Google's Dominance Won't Work

But consumers will pay a price.

Kevin Garcia-Galindo | 10.18.2024 2:01 PM

Google logo on smartphone resting on computer keyboard | Alvin Chan/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Google

Google Goes On Trial (Again) Today

Democrats' aggressive antitrust agenda threatens to upend Google's ad tech business—and make U.S. markets less free.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 9.9.2024 11:32 AM

An orange and white crossword puzzle blank with the word Crossword in orange and the Reason logo | Lex Villena / Reason

Crossword

Wrath of Khan: Puzzle #58

"Commodity rationed in the 1970s"

Stella Zawistowski | 8.30.2024 8:00 AM

Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at a public event | ID 155762101 © Jhansen2 | Dreamstime.com

Inflation

The Dumb and Dumber of Kamala's 'Greedflation' Narrative

The American economy is robustly competitive. The federal government could just mess it up.

Jason Sorens | 8.22.2024 11:30 AM

dreamstime_xxl_102716177 | ID 102716177 © Ken Wolter | Dreamstime.com

Business and Industry

Harris Joins the FTC's Food Fight Against Kroger-Albertsons Merger

Amid rising grocery costs, the FTC's fight against the merger may end up hurting the very consumers it's supposed to protect.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 8.17.2024 7:00 AM

An emoticon frowny face against a blue computer background, with white text saying "Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart"—the dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" for Microsoft users | Wutianzeri | Dreamstime.com

Regulation

E.U. Regulations Made the CrowdStrike Fiasco Much Worse

The Brussels Effect makes meddlesome European regulations a global problem.

J.D. Tuccille | 8.9.2024 7:00 AM

A phone showing the Google logo | Cfoto/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Antitrust

Federal Court Rules That Google Illegally Maintained a Monopoly

Google is "the best," the court says. But being on top is dangerous.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 8.7.2024 11:30 AM

Posters of Kamala Harris | Robyn Stevens Brody/Sipa USA/Newscom

Election 2024

A Recession for Kamala?

Plus: Violence in the U.K., dead bears in Central Park, parenting influencer absolutely roasted, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 8.6.2024 9:31 AM

President Joe Biden delivers a speech from a podium, flanked by FTC Chair Lina Khan and CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. | Oliver Contreras/Sipa USA/Newscom

Biden Administration

Biden's Big Government Solutions Dismiss Customer Welfare

Sen. Rand Paul writes that repealing the Robinson-Patman Act would help bust inflation.

Rand Paul | 7.23.2024 2:25 PM

The Apple corporate logo centered, above and beneath portions of the Justice Department logo tinted red. | Illustration: Lex Villena

Technology

The DOJ's Assault on Apple Will Harm Consumers

Sen. Rand Paul writes that the lawsuit punishes Apple for a feature its customers like.

Rand Paul | 7.17.2024 6:30 AM

Trump and Vance at the RNC | CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Newscom

Technology

J.D. Vance Thinks Lina Khan Is Doing a Great Job

We're looking at four more years of anti-tech and anti-business antics from the FTC no matter who wins this November.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.16.2024 10:49 AM

Google AI graphic, with Gemini on a smartphone screen | 	Jonathan Raa/Sipa USA/Newscom

Artificial Intelligence

News Publishers Try To Sic the Government on Google AI

A journalism industry trade group is asking the federal government to thwart a tech tool that could make news publishing less profitable.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 6.3.2024 11:49 AM

An AI-generated image using the prompt, “Illustration of antitrust smothering the power of AI." | Illustration: Joanna Andreasson/Midjourney

Antitrust

Will Antitrust Policy Smother the Power of AI?

Left alone, artificial intelligence could actually help small firms compete with tech giants.

Patrick Hedger | 5.21.2024 6:00 AM

Apple logo hangs outside of retail store | John Angelillo/UPI/Newscom

Antitrust

Biden's Antitrust Case Against Apple Is Truly Stupid

Plus: A listener asks about the absurdity of Social Security entitlements.

Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman | 3.25.2024 5:06 PM

Apple iPhones on a table | Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@arnelhasanovic?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Arnel Hasanovic</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/space-gray-iphone-x-on-blue-surface-4oWSXdeAS2g?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>

Technology

The Absurd Apple Antitrust Lawsuit

If you fail to see a problem with Apple's actions, you may not be an overzealous government lawyer.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 3.25.2024 11:30 AM

phones | Cfoto/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Democracy

Land of the Negative

Plus: Migrant resettlement, Tom Cotton op-ed scandal, oppressors-in-training, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 2.27.2024 9:30 AM

Former White House COVID-19 adviser Andrew Slavitt | Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

First Amendment

Was Amazon 'Free to Ignore' White House Demands That It Suppress Anti-Vaccine Books?

The Biden administration's interference with bookselling harks back to a 1963 Supreme Court case involving literature that Rhode Island deemed dangerous.

Jacob Sullum | 2.7.2024 3:55 PM

Black and white headshot of Joe Biden against a red and white background | Illustration: Lex Villena; Gage Skidmore

Antitrust

Debunking Antitrust Assumptions: More Concentration in an Industry Doesn't Necessarily Mean Higher Prices

The Biden administration's antitrust policy depends too much on the dubious belief that industrial concentration leads to higher prices.

Isaac Schick | 1.30.2024 2:30 PM

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and a Roomba by iRobot | Illustration: Lex Villena;  Ben Molyneux, Gage Skidmore

Business and Industry

iRobot Lays Off 350 Employees as Amazon Kills Merger Elizabeth Warren Opposed

The robot vacuum company is based in Massachusetts, meaning some of the terminated employees are likely Warren's constituents.

Joe Lancaster | 1.29.2024 3:30 PM

A man is seen holding up a wine glass with red and blue specks falling out | Illustration: Lex Villena

Economy

On Economic Issues, the Populist Right and Left Share a Lot of Common Ground

That's bad news for Americans.

Veronique de Rugy | 1.11.2024 10:55 AM

Elizabeth Warren | Annabelle Gordon - CNP/Newscom

Fast Food

Elizabeth Warren Wants the Government To Investigate America's 'Sandwich Shop Monopoly'

The owner of Jimmy John's and Arby's has bought Subway, and a Massachusetts senator has concerns.

Christian Britschgi | 11.27.2023 12:30 PM

A man in a hoodie walks down a grocery store aisle with a cart of products, while an older woman wearing pink pushes an empty cart. The aisle has some products but also some bare shelves. | Jeremy Hogan/Polaris/Newscom

Economics

FTC Fights Grocery Store Merger That May Bring Down Prices

Who needs better prices, products, and customer service?

Nate Scherer | 11.24.2023 7:30 AM

Amazon Prime logo on delivery truck |  Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

Amazon

The Wildly Misleading Statistic at the Center of the FTC's Antitrust Case Against Amazon

Lina Khan says this number is crucial to understanding Amazon's monopoly power, but she's either confused or lying about what it means.

Eric Boehm | 11.6.2023 2:00 PM

Taylor Swift in concert | Amy McKeon/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Antitrust

Is It Time To Trust-Bust Taylor Swift?

The pop singer's new concert film inadvertently makes the case for big businesses with sweeping market power.

Peter Suderman | 10.17.2023 1:41 PM

The Best of Reason Magazine against yellow grid | Joanna Andreasson

Antitrust

The Best of Reason: Competition, Not Antitrust, Is Humbling the Tech Giants

The worst of the antitrust alarmism keeps proving untrue, as tech companies believed by some to be monopolies instead lose market share.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 10.10.2023 5:00 PM

Lina Khan | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Antitrust

Amazon Gets Sued Bigly

Plus: Trump commits fraud, a hacker house cooks steak, progressive movements can't stop failing, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 9.27.2023 9:33 AM

Google and DOJ logos | Lex Villena

Antitrust

The Department of Justice undervalues consumer preference in its latest antitrust efforts.

Thomas W. Hazlett | 9.27.2023 8:30 AM

A side-by-side of the Amazon logo and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission seal, in black and white. | Illustration: Lex Villena

Antitrust

FTC Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Amazon

Among the allegations, the agency charges that Amazon Prime subscribers are incentivized to make the most of their subscription by buying more products.

Joe Lancaster | 9.26.2023 3:56 PM

cover | Illustration: Kelelowor/Fiverr

Antitrust

Competition, Not Antitrust, Is Humbling the Tech Giants

The worst of the antitrust alarmism keeps proving untrue, as tech companies believed by some to be monopolies instead lose market share.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 9.26.2023 9:05 AM

The google logo on a wall with packing boxes in front of it | Photo 35205367 © Serban Enache | Dreamstime.com

Department of Justice

The DOJ's Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Is a Loser for Consumers

Despite years of Google primacy over Microsoft Bing, usage of Bing has more than doubled over the past three years and continues to grow.

Ethan Yang and Ryan Yonk | 9.15.2023 12:15 PM

zumaglobaltwelve545692 | Kabir Jhangiani/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Google

The Trial Begins: DOJ Sues Google Over Search Engine Dominance

Plus: FDA approves new COVID-19 vaccine, Elizabeth Warren goes after Elon Musk, and more...

Robby Soave | 9.12.2023 9:36 AM

The Chinese flag | Illustration: Lex Villena; Maciek905

China

China Is No Economic Model for America

The country's current struggles show the problems of the Beijing way—and make the case for freedom.

Veronique de Rugy | 8.31.2023 12:35 PM

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan | Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA/Newscom

Biden Administration

The Biden Administration's Antitrust Changes Would Be Great for Bureaucrats—and Bad for Consumers

The guidelines would ignore decades of academic findings about how firm concentration can have a positive impact on consumers' welfare.

Veronique de Rugy | 8.17.2023 5:05 PM

zumaamericasthirtysix337386 | Beata Zawrzel/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Internet

Google Will Go to Trial Over Preloading Apps and Search Engine on Phones

Plus: Ohio Issue 1 defeated, Supreme Court pauses order vacating gun regulations, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 8.9.2023 9:56 AM

Lina Khan | Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA/Newscom

Business and Industry

New Federal Merger Guidelines Hint: Maybe Just Don't Merge Anything at All

Plus: Authors demand compensation from A.I. systems, IRS whistleblowers speak out about Hunter Biden investigation, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.20.2023 10:00 AM

ChatGPT logo on phone in front of multi-colored high-tech background | Omar Marques/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Federal Trade Commission

FTC Investigates OpenAI Over Inaccurate Information From ChatGPT

Plus: Few Americans support full abortion bans, a win for cryptocurrency in Ripple case, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.14.2023 9:46 AM

Activision Blizzard logo on phone in front of screen with Microsoft logo | Cfoto/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Federal Trade Commission

Court Greenlights Microsoft Acquisition of Video Game Powerhouse Activision Blizzard

Plus: California social media law could backfire, Massachusetts may ban the sale of phone location data, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.12.2023 9:30 AM

The US Capitol is seen next to 0 bills | Photo 6458063 © Elena Yakusheva | Dreamstime.com

Election 2024

This Election Season, Beware of These False Promises

Many politicians offer a simplified view of the world—one in which government interventions are all benefits and no costs. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Veronique de Rugy | 7.6.2023 12:25 PM

Amazon delivery truck | Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Newscom

Antitrust

The Federal Trade Commission's Latest Frivolous Antitrust Suit Takes Aim at Amazon

Plus: Texas’ new anti-porn law, Biden meets with A.I. critics, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 6.22.2023 9:33 AM

Chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell | Liu Jie / Xinhua News Agency/Newscom

Inflation

The Fed Won't Save Us From the Inflation Iceberg

Plus: Was Gerald Ford right to pardon Richard Nixon?

Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Eric Boehm | 6.19.2023 3:39 PM

Lina Khan | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Social Media

FTC Chair Lina Khan Ignored Ethics Official's Advice About Meta Case, Then Said She Didn't

Plus: RIP Daniel Ellsberg, the Pioneers of Capitalism, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 6.19.2023 9:53 AM

Leslie Grace's Batgirl across from Sen. Elizabeth Warren holding up her fists, against an orange background | Illustration: Lex Villena; Edward Kimmel; Warner Brothers

Business and Industry

Elizabeth Warren Wants the Government To Save Batgirl

Companies make decisions all the time, some of them regrettable and unfortunate, that shouldn't be any of the government's business.

Joe Lancaster | 4.12.2023 1:40 PM

Don't give the Federal Trade Commission a big budget just to punish big firms. | Illustration: Lex Villena

Federal Trade Commission

Don't Give the Federal Trade Commission a Big Budget Just To Punish Big Firms

FTC Chair Lina Khan has an agenda that's against big companies, not for consumer well-being.

Isaac Schick | 4.7.2023 12:35 PM

Amazon Alexa | Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kilta?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Find Experts at Kilta.com</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/db4jrNvZhOQ?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

Reason Roundup

The FTC Is Closing In on Amazon

Plus: "No such thing" as a "harmless drag show" says university president, aggressive code enforcement in Florida, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 3.21.2023 9:30 AM

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