Big Tech lobby looks to moderate Democrats to defeat antitrust regulations

Democratic members of the House of Representatives have attacked a package of measures being promoted by members of the House Antitrust Subcommittee, as opposition builds to radical proposals that some hope could lead to the break-up of Big Tech. The rift shows how difficult it will be to enact a big shake-up of US antitrust laws, even as President Joe Biden considers signing his own executive order to strengthen regulators’ powers to promote competition in their sectors. The House Judiciary Committee last week passed six bills aimed at breaking the corporate power enjoyed by the likes of Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple. The move is part of a broader push to enact the most significant change to US competition law in a generation, but industry lobbyists are targeting centrist Democrats and those from California in particular as they try to block the most radical measures. With 60 votes needed to beat a filibuster, lobbyists believe only the least contentious measures, such as a move to increase funding to competition regulators, stand a chance of passing.