A House committee approved far-reaching legislation to curb the market dominance of tech giants, including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc., but much of the effort faced intensive lobbying by affected firms that slowed the committee’s work and foreshadowed a pitched battle in the Senate.
In a package of six bills, the most significant measure to pass by late Wednesday requires that the largest internet platforms make it easier for users to transport their data to other platforms and even communicate with users on other platforms. The bill—known as the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching, or Access, Act—would give the Federal Trade Commission extensive new powers to set individualized standards for the tech giants. It passed, 25-19.
Another measure, the Platform Competition and Opportunity Act, passed early Thursday. The bill effectively prohibits acquisitions by dominant platforms of companies that represent competitive threats to them, as well as acquisitions that expand or entrench their market power. The bill was approved, 24-17.
The bills must still pass the full House, where the timetable for bringing them to the floor
