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The Dubious Antitrust Argument for Breaking Up the Internet Giants.

Authors :
Crandall, Robert W.
Source :
Review of Industrial Organization; Jun2019, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p627-649, 23p, 2 Charts, 3 Graphs
Publication Year :
2019

Abstract

Recent calls for using the antitrust laws to break up the large Internet giants are misplaced for a number of reasons. First, similar efforts against oil, tobacco, motion-picture, and telecommunications monopolies have not proved to be beneficial to economic welfare. Second, the failure to break up Microsoft using Section 2 has not proved to be a mistake: competition in operating systems and Internet browsers has flourished recently. Finally, a Section 2 case against Amazon, Facebook, or Google could not succeed if it focused on the digital advertising market. Even in a case based on market power on the other side of their platforms, a structural remedy—a break-up—would not improve economic welfare in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0889938X
Volume :
54
Issue :
4
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Review of Industrial Organization
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
136337587
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11151-019-09680-y