The commission for years has faced criticism that it isn’t doing enough to rein in tech giants. When the agency slapped Facebook with a historic, $5 billion fine, critics widely viewed it as a gift to the company. Many members of Congress called for greater resources for the agency in the fallout of Monday’s news.
Tech companies argued the decision shows why antitrust laws should stay the same.
“Activists might say we need new antitrust laws, but the Federal Trade Commission’s departure from tradition into subjective antitrust enforcement has illustrated the very need for our laws to continue to be applied objectively and fairly, said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel at NetChoice.