A “vehicle for antitrust change” picks up steam

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act is part of a wider effort to regulate competition within the tech sector.

The latest effort to rein in Big Tech cleared a procedural step in the Senate last week, moving one step closer to a floor vote.

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act would prevent big tech firms from giving preference to their own products and services. Like Amazon ranking its Amazon Basics product line above those of its competitors, for example, or Google serving up its own map results over Apple’s. According to some lawmakers, moves like these unfairly stifle competition.

Though the bill has bipartisan support, bipartisan concern over the details means it’s getting hit with requests for changes on questions like privacy and who exactly it applies to.

Will Rinehart, a senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity, joined Marketplace Tech to discuss the bill’s development.

CGO scholars and fellows frequently comment on a variety of topics for the popular press. The views expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Growth and Opportunity or the views of Utah State University.