Debate Desk
Should Big Tech Be Broken Up, and Why Do Conservatives Disagree?
Conservatives share concern about the power of a few tech giants but split on antitrust breakups versus transparency and competition.
The claim
A small number of companies control search, social media, app stores, online retail and cloud computing. Supporters of breakups say that this power lets them crush rivals, shape what people see and set the rules for the public conversation.
The answer in three points
- Conservatives are divided and the argument is a good one. Some, in the tradition of the Sherman Act of 1890, hold that concentrated private power threatens liberty and that antitrust enforcement is a legitimate tool. Others, following the consumer welfare approach associated with the Chicago school, argue that these companies earn their position by serving users and that breakups would harm consumers and innovation.
- Antitrust law is about competition, and the question is whether specific conduct, such as locking in default settings or favoring a company's own products, harms rivals and consumers. Courts have heard cases against Google and others, and judges can decide on evidence.
- Power over speech is another matter. Competition can help by giving users alternatives, and clear rules for transparency and appeals can help too. The most dangerous combination is a platform working with government to suppress speech, and the remedy there is the First Amendment, not a breakup.
Whatever the remedy, the principle is that no private or public power should be beyond competition and accountability.
The numbers
- The Sherman Antitrust Act was enacted in 1890, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
- In August 2024, a federal district court ruled that Google had unlawfully maintained a monopoly in general search, according to the court's opinion in United States v. Google.
- The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have filed antitrust suits against several large technology companies in recent years, according to their press releases.
What they will say next
"Size alone is not a crime." Correct, and the law asks about conduct. Courts have long held that a company may grow by superior products and cannot use illegal means to keep rivals out.
"Breakups would hurt consumers." They might, and remedies other than breakups, such as rules on defaults and interoperability, can be tried. The remedy should fit the violation.
"Regulation entrenches the giants." Heavy rules favor those who can afford compliance, which is a reason to prefer simple rules and strong enforcement of competition.
"Foreign competitors like China's are the real threat." Breaking up American firms could weaken the country in the technology race, and a balance is needed.
A free economy depends on competition, and a free society depends on citizens who are not at the mercy of any single power.
"Breaking up a company does not fix content problems." That is correct, since a smaller platform can still moderate unfairly. The case for antitrust is about competition and consumer choice, and the case for speech protections is separate, with different remedies.