Apple accused of ‘copy-acquire-kill’ strategy by US congress anti-trust committee

Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon are accused of yet another anti-competition behavior, the ‘copy-acquire-kill’ strategy. The allegation has surfaced at a time when four CEOs of Silicon Valley tech giants are hours away from appearing before the US congress antitrust committee investigating the companies’ monopolization of the digital market by anticompetitive behavior.

Representative Pramila Jayapal says that she has seen evidence with “very specific language from top-level executives” on using the dubious strategy to strangle the competition or rivals. She asserted that “we need to move very quickly, as a Congress, to reassert our authority into regulation of these tech companies and [their] anticompetitive practices.”

On Wednesday, the leader of the four tech companies will be questioned by the committee over video link due to imposed COVID-19 precautionary measures of social distancing.

tim-cook-apple

The Copy-Acquire-Kill Strategy

The strategy refers to the business model of firstly copying a rival’s product, then using money and power to acquire it and in the end, results in the shut down of the original creator. These kinds of practices put emerging businesses at risk of survival and consumers are deprived of variety or options.

Over the years, consumers have witnessed Facebook acquire Instagram and WhatsApp, copy Snapchat’s Stories feature, and now have introduced Instagram Reels which is a copy of TikTok, a very popular social app. Therefore, for the healthy growth of the tech industry, congress members are determined to hold tech giants accountable and regulate the sector.

US Antitrust Investigation

In June, the congressional committee sent letters to all four CEOs to appear it for the hearing on anticompetitive practices like user data for targeted ads, 30% cut in apps’ revenues, and others.

  • Apple- Tim Cook
  • Alphabet/Google- Sundar Pichai
  • Facebook- Mark Zuckerberg
  • Amazon-Jeff Bezos

Representative David N.Cicilline said,

“It’s very clear to me there are very serious problems that must be addressed, and it’s very clear to me these large technology platforms are not going to regulate themselves. The responsibility falls to Congress to do that.”

Apple and Google Under Scrutiny

Recently, Apple and Google are under a string of investigations and facing lawsuits in different parts of the world over their practices and policies:

via The Washington Post

Read Also:

About the Author

Addicted to social media and in love with iPhone, started blogging as a hobby. And now it's my passion for every day is a new learning experience. Hopefully, manufacturers will continue to use innovative solutions and we will keep on letting you know about them.