With big tech under a microscope in Washington, Democrats and Republicans agree that laws need to be modernized in order to promote fair competition, particularly for small businesses that tend to get snuffed out by the giants, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo. 4th District), told Cheddar.
Members of both parties have released reports that look to establish pathways to breaking up tech giants, which they consider monopolies, and level the playing field in online marketplaces.
According to Buck, who wrote one of those reports, the issue becomes partisan when deciding how to regulate the big tech industry, an issue he said would be uncertain under a Joe Biden- Kamala Harris administration.
“The Trump administration has been fairly aggressive in this area and partly because conservatives believe that Google and Facebook and Twitter are biased against conservative views and have suppressed conservative views...,” Buck said.
Also, Senator Harris comes from the Bay Area, a stone's throw from Silicon Valley and has worked in its sphere dating back to her time as California Attorney General.
“There is a connection between the vice presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, and big tech. Don’t have any idea whether that would affect the enforcement actions or not from the left.”
For Republicans, Buck said, the more ideal option to deal with the growing big tech issue is to establish a targeted antitrust system through Congress that would allow courts and federal agencies to investigate and fine companies guilty of anticompetitive practices.
“Republicans don’t want to see more government. We want to see more enforcement and less regulation,” he said.
Both parties, according to Buck, also agree that the burden of proving anticompetitive practices should shift from government to the companies involved in large-scale mergers and acquisitions.
While many of the laws big tech companies operate on were established “in the early 1900s, in some cases the late 1800s,” companies that have already completed mergers, like Facebook and Instagram, should be reviewed, Buck noted.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue. Dresser will oversee global revenue strategy and help businesses integrate AI into daily operations. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently emphasized improving ChatGPT, which now has over 800 million weekly users. Despite its success, OpenAI faces competition from companies like Google and concerns about profitability. The company earns money from premium ChatGPT subscriptions but hasn't ventured into advertising. Altman had recently announced delays in developing new products like AI agents and a personal assistant.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
U.S. sports betting is booming as NFL and college football fuel massive activity. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt breaks down trends, growth, and what’s next.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
