The Trump administration has not disappointed the tech giant.
On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission will face off against Meta in court, claiming that the social media giant took away their early competitors when they bought Instagram and WhatsApp. Also, on April 21, the Department of Justice argues that federal judges need to sell Chrome web browsers to Google to limit the power of search monopolies.
Both cases began moving into a new era of antitrust scrutiny, but were filed during President Trump's first term. They were pushed forward by the Biden administration, which also filed exclusive lawsuits against the ad technology businesses of Amazon, Apple and Google.
Investors in Silicon Valley and Wall Street wanted more respect for tech companies in the second term as Trump promised to settle the industry. Some legal experts believe the administration can hold a light hand in blocking mergers and setting aggressive regulating technology.
But so far, Trump's appointees have committed to continuing much of the scrutiny of the biggest tech companies despite industry aspirations.
“I think it may not have been entirely focused on how well the first Trump presidency is moving towards reconsidering this technology,” said former FTC chairman Bill Kovacic.
Here's what you need to know.
Who is currently in charge of antitrust enforcement?
Trump has appointed Andrew Ferguson as chairman of the FTC. Ferguson, an attorney who worked for a strong Republican senator for most of his career, says he wants to increase scrutiny of how social media companies decide to remove the post. For many years, conservatives have complained that platforms like Facebook and YouTube disproportionately censor the correct perspective.
“We're throwing all the resources our agents have by prosecuting cases against big technology,” Ferguson appeared on the Bloomberg podcast “Oddlot” this year.
Gale Slater, a veteran technical and media lawyer, the new leader in the Department of Justice's anti-trust division, worked at the White House during Trump's first term. She also promises to actively enforce antitrust laws.
“It's now a bipartisan issue, and there's a consensus on the need for robust antitrust enforcement,” Slater said at an event held this month, Silicon Valley startup accelerator, Y Combinator, who called for more antitrust scrutiny for the Giants of Technology.
Where do major antitrust lawsuits against tech giants stand?
Five government cases accused high-tech companies of maintaining illegal monopolies, all moving through courts. The company has denied the allegations.
The FTC sued Meta in 2020, claiming that the 2012 Instagram acquisition and the 2014 WhatsApp acquisition violated the law by using a “purchased or buried” strategy to eliminate new rivals. The trial is expected to last until July and features testimonials from well-known figures, including Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The Justice Department sued Google in 2020 over allegations that it had a monopoly in online searches. A federal judge ruled the government last year and convenes a roughly three-week hearing on how to deal with Google's monopoly. The government suggests that the company sells Chrome. Google has proposed a plan to appeal with fewer restrictions.
The Justice Department accused Google of illegally controlling its advertising technology business in 2023. A federal judge heard a debate in the case last year, and a ruling is expected to be made soon.
The FTC accused Amazon in a 2023 lawsuit that used its market to narrow down small merchants to sell to consumers. A federal judge rejected Amazon's attempt to dismiss the case last year. I'm planning to go to court next year.
The Justice Department sued Apple last year, claiming its woven ecosystem of technology makes it difficult for consumers to throw away their iPhones and iPads. Apple asked a federal judge to dismiss the case.
What about tech mergers and acquisitions?
The Biden administration has sought to block numerous technology deals, including Meta buying a small virtual reality startup. Push to stop the acquisition has infuriated investors who support small businesses that want to be acquired by the tech giant and want to cash out.
Trump's appointees say they want to keep them out of the way of a takeover that doesn't present competitive issues. Slater expressed openness to settlements that propose companies' proposals, including selling similar assets. This will help you resolve any transaction concerns.
In late January, the Justice Department sued business software company Hewlett Packard Enterprise to stop networking company Juniper Networks from purchasing its $14 billion. This was the first lawsuit to challenge Trump's second term technical contract.
During the first Trump administration, the Justice Department failed to purchase AT&T's Time Warner.
What does this mean for the artificial intelligence race?
Last year, the Department of Justice and the FTC agreed to split their responsibility to investigate whether the biggest players in artificial intelligence are violating antitrust laws. The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Nvidia, and the FTC has acquired Microsoft and its partner Openai.
It is unclear whether these investigations will file lawsuits. The Trump administration has pledged to clarify how American companies develop AI. This includes rescinding Biden-era executive orders in which guardrails implement the use of technology.
The administration is looking for industry input on how best to advance its technology policy, the opening that businesses and investors lobby with fewer rules.
“I think it's very important to protect competition in the AI space, but I think it's equally important that the government isn't a competition to regulate AI,” Ferguson told Bloomberg Television in March.
