Why Do Josh Hawley's Cures For 'Big Tech' Always Oddly Omit 'Big Telecom'?

Why Do Josh Hawley's Cures For 'Big Tech' Always Oddly Omit 'Big Telecom'?

4 years ago
Anonymous $-riAjkQg_1

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200210/07105843892/why-do-josh-hawleys-cures-big-tech-always-oddly-omit-big-telecom.shtml

Over the last year, giants like Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Apple have all faced growing calls for greater regulatory oversight and antitrust enforcement, something that isn't particularly surprising. After all, experts have noted for decades than US antitrust enforcement has grown toothless and frail, and our definitions of monopoly power need updating in the Amazon era. Facebook's repeated face plants on privacy (and basic transparency and integrity) have only added fuel to the fire amidst calls to regulate "big tech."

But while Silicon Valley giants now face an endless cavalcade of outrage in DC, the telecom sector is suddenly seeing no scrutiny whatsoever. Whether it's the speed at which the problematic T-Mobile merger is being shoveled through the DOJ and FCC, or the blind eye being turned to major telecom privacy scandals (like location data), telecom lobbyists have been on a successful tear convincing well-heeled DC lawmakers to ignore the massive, obvious monopoly, privacy, and competition issues inherent in telecom to focus exclusively on the problems in "big tech."