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Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Break up big tech to promote privacy and competition

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is calling for the break up of big tech companies including Google, Amazon, Facebook and even Apple.

Citing weak antitrust enforcement leading to a dramatic reduction in competition and innovation in the tech sector, on Friday, the Massachusetts Democrat released an op-ed arguing for the break up of the tech giants to break up monopolies and promote competitive markets.

Warren also made the case that big tech companies have too much power and that similar actions in the past made way for Google and Facebook when the federal government sued Microsoft for violating anti-monopoly laws.

“As these companies have grown larger and more powerful, they have used their resources and control over the way we use the Internet to squash small businesses and innovation, and substitute their own financial interests for the broader interests of the American people,” Warren said. “To restore the balance of power in our democracy, to promote competition, and to ensure that the next generation of technology innovation is as vibrant as the last, it’s time to break up our biggest tech companies.”

Ultimately, the senator urged for the passing of legislation requiring large tech platforms to be designated as “Platform Utilities” and broken apart from any participant on that platform.

Additionally, Warren said her administration would appoint regulators committed to reversing illegal and anticompetitive mergers such as that of Amazon and Whole Foods or Facebook and WhatsApp.

Shane Green, CEO of digi.me and co-founder and chair of UBDI, called the senator’s plan a powerful call for something everyone can agree on: respecting privacy and giving Americans greater control of their personal data

“Abuse of our privacy and data is a rare issue that people across the political spectrum agree is unacceptable,” Green said.

“It would be a huge step forward if the presidential candidates, President Trump and Congress would demand accountability for how Big Tech collects, uses and sells our personal data – and embrace new approaches that create both transparency and control for consumers," he said.

While making it clear the proposals won’t solve all the problems of big tech, Warren said companies must give people more control of how their personal information is collected, shared and sold.

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