London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 01, 2026

Lawmakers unveil measure that could break up big tech companies like Amazon, Apple

Lawmakers unveil measure that could break up big tech companies like Amazon, Apple

A proposal would force large companies to split up or spin off businesses that present a conflict of interest
A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a handful of antitrust measures on Friday, including one designed to potentially break up large tech companies operating businesses with conflicts of interest.

Among the package of five bills was a proposal dubbed the Ending Platform Monopolies Act that would potentially force large companies to split up or spin off businesses that present a conflict of interest. The measure would prohibit online platforms from owning businesses that incentivized the platform to favor their own products over others offered on their platforms.

Lawmakers have taken issue with Amazon, for example, for selling its own branded products on its website, engendering questions over whether it fairly markets competitor products.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., whose district includes Amazon’s Seattle headquarters.

Another bill in the package would prevent companies from exercising self-preference of their own products on their platform, while a third would increase scrutiny over mergers.

Lawmakers also proposed increasing filing fees paid to antitrust agencies for merger reviews and allowing users to transfer information between major platforms.

The proposals, in general, are believed to be aimed at Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, affecting companies only with a $600 billion market value and 500,000 or more monthly active users.

None of the companies responded to Fox News’ request for comment.

Fostering healthy competition within the tech sector is a focal point for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, although there is not always agreement over how to introduce regulation to achieve that goal. It is not clear that the bills introduced on Friday could garner the necessary votes to pass both chambers.

Meanwhile, there are numerous ongoing efforts in court to try to ensure that companies do not engage in monopolistic behaviors.

As previously reported by FOX Business, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit this week seeking to classify Google as a public utility in the state due to its internet search dominance.

The complaint takes issue with the fact that the company is able to feature its own products on its results pages.

This week Google settled an antitrust lawsuit in France and agreed to pay $268 million. It also promised to make it easier for companies to advertise online.

Amazon was sued late last month by the D.C. Attorney General over anti-competitive practices.

Facebook was sued in 2020 by federal officials.

The Department of Justice sued Google in October over antitrust concerns.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight
Prince Harry Faces Significant Legal Costs After Insurance Shortfall
FirstGroup Sells Rail Software Business to Tracsis for £48 Million
Victoria and Albert Museum Staff Vote for Strike Action
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Contract Killing Plot in Britain
Royal Mail Raises Bulk Mailing Prices by 30%
×