Will Trump’s antitrust pick be a reset for Big Tech?
Feb 18, 2025
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Mohar Chatterjee, a reporter for POLITICO, dives into the implications of Gail Slater's nomination to lead the Justice Department's antitrust division. They discuss how Slater plans to navigate the complexities of regulating major companies like Apple and Google. Chatterjee highlights the contrasting antitrust strategies between the Trump and Biden administrations, alongside shifting Republican views on Big Tech censorship. The dialogue also touches on how evolving competition metrics intersect with AI regulation, shaping the future of both industries.
Gail Slater's proposed antitrust approach indicates a shift towards targeted regulation, emphasizing efficiency over broad measures against Big Tech.
Slater's views on consumer rights highlight the intersection of antitrust actions with issues of free speech and data privacy in social media.
Deep dives
Gail Slater's Antitrust Approach
Gail Slater, nominated for Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, has indicated her intention to take a more targeted approach to regulating big tech companies, suggesting a shift from sweeping policies to a more surgical method. During her confirmation process, she emphasized efficiency in the antitrust arm of the DOJ by asserting that direct engagement with the tech industry could be more effective than broad legislative regulations. This shift could reshape how the department addresses ongoing antitrust cases against major corporations like Apple and Google, suggesting a more nuanced strategy compared to the previous administration's aggressive tactics. Slater's framing of antitrust enforcement implies a willingness to utilize existing laws without necessarily escalating to dramatic regulatory measures, marking a potential change in the landscape of tech regulation under her leadership.
Balancing Consumer Rights and Antitrust
Slater's views on big tech also encompass concerns around consumer rights, particularly in how social media platforms manage free speech and data privacy. While she acknowledged that Republican lawmakers have expressed worries about perceived censorship, she carefully navigated the discussion by suggesting that antitrust actions could mitigate feelings of suppression among conservative voices. Slater proposed that breaking up dominant social media platforms could help ensure fairer treatment of diverse viewpoints online. This indicates an emerging perspective that intertwines traditional antitrust goals with broader issues concerning consumer liberties and representation in the digital sphere.
Focus on AI Competition and Small Tech
In her discussions surrounding artificial intelligence, Slater acknowledged the nascent nature of the industry and the challenges in defining monopolistic behaviors among AI companies. She suggested that the current competition level varies significantly across different facets of the AI market, signaling that premature intervention may not be justified. Additionally, Slater's support for promoting or allowing mergers and acquisitions within smaller tech companies reflects a stance that values industry growth while keeping regulatory oversight reasonable. This perspective might align with the interests of smaller tech entities seeking to thrive amidst larger competitors, suggesting her leadership could potentially cultivate a more favorable environment for innovation.
President Donald Trump’s nominees are trudging through the Senate confirmation process, including Gail Slater, his pick to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Slater is a well-known entity in Washington tech circles. But she could soon have a pivotal role in shaping Trump’s antitrust response to tech’s market power — a sore spot for the industry’s big players. On POLITICO Tech, reporter Mohar Chatterjee joins host Steven Overly to break down Slater’s antitrust approach.
