It’s Time to Rethink Antitrust
Plus merger guidelines, DOJ v. Google, AI, and more
Rethinking Antitrust: We’re excited to launch a new podcast: Rethinking Antitrust. Bilal will be hosting some of the field’s major players to discuss laws and regulations that govern mergers, corporate competition, and antitrust. His first guests are Eleanor Fox and Daniel Francis to discuss the draft Merger Guidelines. Subscribe today!
Mergers: It’s been a busy week for Bilal, who also filed a substantial comment with the FTC about the Agency’s proposed draft Merger Guidelines. While the draft may be new, he finds the analysis to be something from the 1960s or 70s—and a bad fit for the digital future.
Broadband Breakfast also mentioned Bilal’s amicus brief in support of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision. “This Commission’s hostility to the procompetitive and efficiency-enhancing prospects of mergers is well-known—but the Commission’s position is not supported by merger case law,” he was quoted as saying.
Age Verification: On the latest Tech Policy Podcast, Corbin was joined by Ari as well as Shoshana Weissmann of the R Street Institute. They discussed legislators’ misguided push to age-gate the Internet and the privacy nightmare that is age-verification technology.
DOJ v. Google: In Reason, Ethan, our sharp legal intern, commented on the ongoing Google search antitrust trial—arguing that the DOJ should allow open competition and keep their focus on improving consumer welfare rather than the welfare of individual firms. The article was mentioned in this week’s GWU Regulation Digest newsletter.
NBC News also quoted Bilal following the first week of the landmark trial. “The focus of the DOJ complaints here strikes me as an overreach,” he said. “I think people will use Google search capabilities, regardless of whether they are the default on some platforms.”
AI: Andy wrote a thread for the House Oversight Committee’s AI hearing last week. He agreed with Chair Nancy Mace’s comments that the federal government “needs to get its own house in order” on "safe use of AI in government.”
California Age Appropriate Design Code: Back in March, Corbin wrote critically of two new California state laws, AB 587 and AB 2273; this week we learned that the second, known as the California Age Appropriate Design Code, has been enjoined and will not be enforced. For now.
Congratulations: We’re pleased to announce that Andy, who started as a legal intern four years ago, is now TechFreedom’s first Associate Counsel. Keep up the good work, Jung man!
Don’t miss out!