Tech Giants Used ‘Loopholes’ to Duck Merger Reviews, FTC Says

  • Report shows hundreds of deals by tech giants went unchecked
  • Antitrust enforcers must close loopholes, FTC Chair Khan says
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Hundreds of deals by U.S. technology giants flew under the radar of merger watchdogs, fueling the companies’ unchecked growth in the digital economy, according to a Federal Trade Commission study.

The data on acquisitions by Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, and Microsoft Corp. show that antitrust enforcers must be more aggressive in making sure companies aren’t taking advantage of “loopholes” to avoid reporting deals to regulators, FTC Chair Lina Khan said Wednesday.