D.C.'s Big Tech Antitrust Battle Spreads Beyond Washington

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The Biden administration is expanding its antitrust campaign against Big Tech beyond Washington, D.C. In recent months, the government has filed lawsuits against Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google in various jurisdictions across the country. This shift marks a departure from the traditional practice of concentrating antitrust cases in the nation's capital.

Case	Court	Defendants
FTC v. Facebook	US District Court for the District of Columbia	Facebook
US v. Google	US District Court for the District of Columbia	Google
FTC v. Microsoft	US District Court for the Northern District of California	Microsoft, Activision Blizzard
US v. Google	US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	Google
FTC v. Amazon	US District Court for the Western District of Washington	Amazon
US v. Apple	US District Court for the District of New Jersey	Apple

There are several potential reasons for the government's decision to file antitrust cases outside of Washington, D.C. One possibility is that prosecutors are seeking out appeals courts with case law more favorable to their legal theories. Another reason may be to take advantage of the speed and convenience of certain courts in handling litigation. It is also possible that the government wants to showcase its antitrust enforcement efforts to the rest of the country.

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The government's shift away from D.C. is happening at a time when there are rising concerns within the legal community about judge shopping in hopes of sympathetic rulings and state and federal governments intervening in private antitrust litigation. Bills to disrupt judicial power in single-judge districts have been introduced in the Senate, and the Judicial Conference recommended changes to the case assignment process in March.

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Despite the challenges, the Biden administration is committed to its antitrust campaign against Big Tech. The government believes that these companies have become too powerful and that their dominance is harming consumers and stifling innovation. The outcome of the cases will have a significant impact on the future of the tech industry and the broader economy.