"By confirming the illegality of behaviours that reduce incentives for smaller or newer firms to innovate and compete, the legislation would supplement the existing antitrust laws in preventing the largest digital companies from abusing and exploiting their dominant positions to the detriment of competition and the competitive process," the US Department of Justice (DOJ) wrote in a letter dated March 28 in support of an antitrust bill that targets self-preferencing by major tech platforms like Amazon, Google, and Apple. Earlier in February, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 16-6 to pass the bill called the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. The Bill now awaits a full Senate vote, ahead of which the DOJ has expressed its support. "The Department is strongly supportive of these objectives and encourages both the Committee and Congress to work to finalize this legislation and pass it into law," the DOJ said. Congressman Ken Buck, who co-sponsored the bill, welcomed the support of the DOJ saying: "The Department of Justice’s letter of support is a huge step forward for this legislation, and represents the pieces falling into place for wide-ranging reforms to America’s competition landscape to pass into law. Now it’s time for the full House to act on this bill to protect small business and ensure that the free market is working for everyone, not just Big Tech monopolies." What is the American Innovation and Choice Online Act? First introduced on June 11, 2021, along with four other tech antitrust bills, the American Innovation and Choice…
