Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple to be investigated by US House committee

Broad probe comes as politicians in Washington have decried power of handful of big tech companies

(REUTERS)

House Democrats have announced a sweeping investigation into companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and others to decide whether they have become so large and powerful that they are stifling innovation and competition in the industry.

The probe was announced on Monday by representative David Cicilline, and comes as politicians on both sides of the aisle have expressed concerns that the tech industry has been allowed to run rampant without regulations for too long.

Mr Cicilline told reporters on Monday that the probe will not target specific companies, and will instead focus on the belief that the "Internet is broken" as a result that massive technology companies have managed to effectively control large swaths of the online economy.

While cautioning that the investigation is a broad look, he did mention specific companies that have come to be household names across the western world.

Mr Cicilline pointed, for instance, to questionable practices by companies like Google, which is currently being reviewed in Europe for prioritising its own services in searches over its competition. Facebook was also mentioned for its practice of buying up competition or simply adopting very similar features to ensure dominance in the social media world. Mr Cicilline said that Amazon and Apple could also be of interest to the probe.

"In a lot of ways, there was a reluctance in the early days of the Internet to interfere," Mr Cicilline, a Democrat, said during his remarks to reporters. "It was creating so much value in the lives of people that [some felt] you should get out of the way and allow it to flourish."

He continued: "Over time, people have recognised there are some real dangers here."

The investigation will include hearings, and Democrats have said they would consider subpoenas for documents if tech companies and others do not voluntarily comply with requests. Leaders of top companies in Silicon Valley may be asked to testify publicly, they say.

The issue appears to be one of rare bipartisan consensus in Washington, where Donald Trump's administration recently signalled that it wants to look at Silicon Valley and the power of tech giants in the industry. The Trump administration has taken steps to analyse anti-trust enforcement of Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple, leading the way for future potential probes.

Elizabeth Warren, a leading presidential candidate in the Democratic primary race, has also sought to capitalise on the issue. Months ago, Ms Warren called for a breakup of big tech companies in one of her many detailed policy proposals. Just recently, as Democrats in San Francisco prepared to host their party convention for California, Ms Warren's team also advertised her plan on a billboard in the same city.