![]() The Department of Justice is reportedly preparing to sue the company over its advertising business, and could be joined by state attorneys general who have also been investigating Google.Ĭicilline pressed CEO Pichai on whether Google's business model presents a conflict of interest, because it has an incentive to give search results that keep users on its own site rather than anywhere else on the Internet. David Cicilline, D-R.I., the subcommittee chairman, spent all of his first five-minute block of questions on Google - the company at most immediate risk of antitrust action. Google's Pichai is pressed on being "the gateway to the Internet" "You have access to data that your competitors do not have," she continued, adding that if Amazon was "continuously monitoring" such data to make sure that other sellers "are never going to get big enough that they can compete with you - that is actually the concern that the committee has." "You can set the rules of the game for your competitors, but not actually follow those same rules for yourself," Jayapal said. Jayapal noted that Amazon has access to information about consumer habits, sellers' pricing and inventory data, a trove of details that could be ripe for abuse if used to make business decisions about Amazon's own products. "We have a policy against using seller-specific data to aid our private label business, but I can't guarantee you that that policy has never been violated."Ĭommittee lawmakers have previously accused Amazon of " lack of candor" about how it might be using other sellers' data to give an edge to its own business, something Amazon executives have, until now, denied was happening.Ĭritics have made the case that Amazon employees may have used such data to create the retailer's own private-label products, which Bezos told lawmakers the company was still investigating. "I can't answer that question yes or no," Bezos said. ![]() Jayapal zeroed in on the subcommittee's central concern about Amazon: Does the company use the data it collects from other sellers on the platform for its benefit? Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., some two hours into the hearing. The first inquiry for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos finally arrived from Rep. "When someone comes after my motives for asking questions," Jordan shouted, "I should get a chance to respond."ĭoes Amazon use sellers' data to help itself? This remark incited Jordan, who interrupted Scanlon, and led to a screaming match between Jordan and the Democratic leadership about following the rules of the hearing. When Jordan asked Pichai for a promise to Americans that Google will not favor Biden in the 2020 election, Pichai said, "We don't do any work to politically tilt anything one way or another." The Ohio Republican said he's concerned that Google will tailor its search engine to give a leg up to presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden over President Trump in searches related to the November election. Google CEO Sundar Pichai faced a barrage of questions from Rep. "Ultimately, it reduces the competition and the choices made to consumers, and that's a great concern to all of us."ĬEO vows Google won't play favorites in 2020 election "This is fundamentally unfair," she said. Our evidence suggests that your company has used its power to harm your rivals and boost your own business," McBath said. "Even some of the largest companies in the country fear your power. McBath referenced a second example, this one involving the publisher Random House, which said Apple held back the introduction of its app while pushing its own similar product. "We were concerned, congresswoman, about the privacy and security of kids," Cook said, noting the app was vulnerable to third-party takeovers. When Apple introduced the app in 2018, competing parental control apps, such as OurPact, were booted from the App Store for not meeting Apple's safety requirements.Īpple CEO Tim Cook told McBath those fears were justified. Lucy McBath of Georgia drew attention to Apple's Screen Time app, a service allowing parents to limit their kids' phone use. The concern that too much power is concentrated in too few companies is unfounded, they said Wednesday.ĭoes Apple punish its rivals on the App Store to score more customers?ĭemocratic Rep. The hearing also featured the heads of Apple, Facebook and Google.Īre Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple "emperors of the online economy" that stifle competition and hurt consumers? Not surprisingly, the tech giants' chief executives told Congress: absolutely not. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos testifies Wednesday via video before the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.
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