Department of Justice
Justice Department Secures $400 Million Settlement with TikTok and ByteDance to Resolve Children’s Privacy Litigation
The Department of Justice announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok, ByteDance, and affiliated entities (TikTok) resolving litigation concerning compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and its implementing regulations (COPPA). Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon entry of an order vacating a prior consent decree entered against TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly.
Department of Justice Antitrust Division Closes Investigation of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Merger
The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has completed its analysis of the proposed merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. and determined based on the evidence received in its investigation that the transaction is not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers, including with respect to: (1) streaming video on demand (“SVD); (2) linear television; and (3) studio development, production, or distribution of films for theatrical release.
Whether FCC’s Lifeline Program is a Benefit Subject to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued a "slip opinion", concluding that the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program constitutes both a "Federal public benefit" and a "Federal means-tested public benefit" under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), the federal welfare reform law. Because Lifeline meets both definitions, the program must comply with PRWORA's eligibility restrictions, which generally limit federal benefits to U.S.
Artificial Intelligence Litigation Task Force
I am hereby "establish[ing] an AI Litigation Task Force (Task Force) whose sole responsibility shall be to challenge State AI laws inconsistent with the policy." The Task Force shall challenge such State AI laws "on grounds that such laws unconstitutionally regulate interstate commerce, are preempted by existing Federal regulations, or are otherwise unlawful." I or my designee will serve as the Chair of the Task Force, and the Associate Attorney General will serve as the Vice Chair.
Judge Orders Google to Share Search Results to Help Resolve Monopoly
A federal judge on Tuesday barred Alphabet’s Google from paying to be the exclusive search engine on devices and browsers but declined to order more drastic changes that the company had opposed. The judge didn’t bar Google from making payments for distribution of its products, saying such a move would harm downstream partners. He also declined to require other remedies sought by the Justice Department, such as divestiture of Google’s Chrome browser.
President Trump Reverses Big Tech and Broadband Oversight Order
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke Executive Order 14036, a Biden-era directive with sweeping implications for technology and broadband policy. Issued by former President Joe Biden on July 9, 2021, Executive Order 14036 contained provisions urging the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission to apply stricter antitrust review to mergers in broadband, cable, and Big Tech, warning that consolidation often hurts consu
Q Link Wireless LLC and Issa Asad to Pay More than $110M in Global Resolution to Resolve Criminal Charges and False Claims Act Allegations
Q Link Wireless LLC (Q Link) and its owner, Issa Asad (Asad), located in Dania Beach, Florida, have agreed to pay $110,637,057 to resolve criminal charges and civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program, created by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, provides nearly $2 billion each year to assist low-income consumers with their telecommunications needs.
Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of T-Mobile and UScellular
After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined not to seek an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from closing on its proposed acquisition of UScellular. The investigation nevertheless raised concerns about competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services and the availability of wireless spectrum needed to fuel competition and entry.
Justice Department Requires Divestitures and Licensing Commitments in HPE’s Acquisition of Juniper Networks
Achieving a result otherwise unavailable through litigation, the Justice Department advised the court it had reached a settlement with HPE and Juniper that allows their merger to continue. This novel approach by the Justice Department reflects a commitment to solving unique challenges in mergers. The settlement requires HPE to divest its Instant On business and mandates that the merged firm license critical Juniper software to independent competitors.