# Information age conflicts between various large groups The power plays aren't strictly a monolithic attempt to subdue unsuspecting individuals. There are *gigantic* power battles back-and-forth between the large organizations (as well as [watchdog journalists](stories-storytellers.md)) for antitrust and pro-trust agendas. ## Merger halts Sometimes, depending on who is elected and [what stock they own](groups-large.md), Big Tech mergers and acquisitions are stopped outright by governments. Anti-Facebook/Meta - [2022-01 The FTC is breaking up Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp (ongoing as of 2022/01)](https://web.archive.org/web/20220113164618/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/federal-trade-commission-facebook-instagram-lawsuit_n_61defaf3e4b04e9d84df179e). Anti-Google/Alphabet - [2021-12 A Texas-led group of US states are filing an antitrust case against Google (ongoing as of 2022/01)](https://web.archive.org/web/20211201212854/https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.564903/gov.uscourts.nysd.564903.152.0_1.pdf). - [2021-11 Google loses an EU antitrust ruling and must pay a $2.8-billion fine](https://web.archive.org/web/20211110102908/https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-court-upholds-eu-antitrust-ruling-against-google-2021-11-10/). Anti-Microsoft - [2023-04 The UK has blocked a merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard](https://archive.is/20230427002152/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-26/microsoft-s-69-billion-activision-deal-blocked-by-uk-watchdog), though [a US judge has ruled it's alright to go through](https://archive.is/20230712094934/https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/judge-rules-for-microsoft-mergers). Other - [2021-01 NVIDIA was in talks to merge with Arm](https://web.archive.org/web/20210116093647/https://arm.nvidia.com/), but [called it off later and the CEO resigned](https://web.archive.org/web/20220208081800/https://venturebeat.com/2022/02/07/nvidia-and-arm-call-off-80b-merger-and-arm-ceo-resigns/). - [2021-12 The FTC is trying to block a massive merger between the microchip supplier NVIDIA and the microchip designer Arm (ongoing as of 2022/01)](https://web.archive.org/web/20211202202237/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/12/ftc-sues-block-40-billion-semiconductor-chip-merger). - [2022-01 Chicago has filed an antitrust case against John Deere's alleged tractor repair monopoly](https://web.archive.org/web/20220115002154/https://techstory.in/john-deere-hit-with-class-action-lawsuit-for-alleged-tractor-repair-monopoly/), [as well as a cattle farmer](https://web.archive.org/web/20220131211918/https://www.al.com/news/2022/01/alabama-farmer-sues-john-deere-for-right-to-repair.html). - [2023-02 The DOJ is stopping an Adobe-Figma merger](https://archive.is/20230224002026/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-23/doj-preparing-suit-to-block-adobe-s-20-billion-deal-for-figma). ## Mandatory Right to Repair There's definitely been [growing support toward government action](https://web.archive.org/web/20190620114605/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/06/hackers-farmers-and-doctors-unite-support-for-right-to-repair-laws-slowly-grows/) around the Right to Repair, which broadly empowers the individual to choose their services. The government *might* enforce the Right to Repair, but it's too soon to tell: - [2018-04 The USA's FTC is now enforcing the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act that outlaws the claim of "warranty void if removed" for consumers](https://web.archive.org/web/20180415075802/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/11/601582169/warranty-void-if-removed-as-it-turns-out-feds-say-those-warnings-are-illegal). - [2019-12 Nebraska's farmers have voted nearly unanimously for the Right to Repair](https://web.archive.org/web/20191211230958/https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/nebraska-farmers-vote-overwhelmingly-right-repair). - [2020-03 The EU is now requiring that smartphone manufacturers provide security updates for at least 5 years](https://web.archive.org/web/20200312042613/https://www.xda-developers.com/eu-right-to-repair-laws-update-smartphone/). - [2020-11 Massachusetts now requires automakers to open up telematics for owners and car mechanics](https://web.archive.org/web/20201104081511/https://www.engadget.com/motor-vehicle-data-question-1-081059455.html). - [2021-01 Europe is guaranteeing Right to Repair](https://web.archive.org/web/20210111085029/https://reasonstobecheerful.world/europe-guarantee-right-to-repair-ifixit/). - [2021-06 New York's Senate has passed a Right to Repair bill](https://web.archive.org/web/20210611061002/https://www.ifixit.com/News/50722/victory-new-york-senate-passes-landmark-right-to-repair-bill). - [2022-03 The EU now requires electronics to have user-replaceable batteries "with standard tools"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220313131811/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/dodgy-technology/not-dodgy-at-all-and-long-overdue-user-replaceable-batteries/), [effective 2027](https://archive.is/20230713233209/https://www.androidauthority.com/phones-with-replaceable-batteries-2027-3345155/). - [2022-06 The FTC has taken an action against Harley-Davidson and Westinghouse, stating that they're illegally restricting customers' right to repair](https://web.archive.org/web/20220624020056/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/06/ftc-takes-action-against-harley-davidson-westinghouse-illegally-restricting-customers-right-repair-0). - [2023-04 Colorado's governor has signed a Right to Repair law against John Deere](https://web.archive.org/web/20230426184504/https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2023a_1011_signed.pdf), which [was passed shortly after it was penned](https://web.archive.org/web/20230603121706/https://www.ifixit.com/News/73291/colorado-approves-first-ever-agricultural-right-to-repair-bill). However, [John Deere had agreed a few months prior as well to allow the Right to Repair](https://web.archive.org/web/20230109043115/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64206913). - [2023-06 The UK Competition and Markets Authority have prevented Microsoft from merging with Activision Blizzard](https://web.archive.org/web/20230603101224/https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/big-tech-blocked-microsoft-stopped). - [2023-06 The EU has ruled that batteries must be "more sustainable, more durable, and better-performing"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230614113043/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230609IPR96210/making-batteries-more-sustainable-more-durable-and-better-performing). ## Large-Scale Events The Tech Industry At Large - [2021-07 There's an ongoing battle about user privacy at the W3C](https://web.archive.org/web/20210713100748/https://www.protocol.com/policy/w3c-privacy-war). - [2022-06 The Internet Archive has joined in opposition against the SMART Copyright Act](https://web.archive.org/web/20220604173823/https://blog.archive.org/2022/03/29/internet-archive-joins-opposition-to-the-smart-copyright-act/). Government vs. Broad Tech Industry Players - [2021-10 The FTC has put hundreds of businesses on notice about misleading endorsements such as fake reviews](https://web.archive.org/web/20211013153025/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-puts-hundreds-businesses-notice-about-fake-reviews-other). - [2021-10 The FDA wants people to be able to buy hearing aides without a prescription](https://web.archive.org/web/20211019180514/https://www.npr.org/2021/10/19/1047303559/fda-hearing-aid-prescription-over-the-counter). - [2021-10 The US Senate is trying to block large tech companies from prioritizing their products over their rivals](https://web.archive.org/web/20211014090710/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/14/klobuchar-grassley-antitrust-bill/). - [2021-11 The FTC has declared "click to subscribe, call to cancel" as illegal](https://web.archive.org/web/20211115170706/https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/11/the-end-of-click-to-subscribe-call-to-cancel-one-of-the-news-industrys-favorite-retention-tactics-is-illegal-ftc-says/). - [2021-12 Germany is drafting legislation that grants a "right to encryption"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211203104354/https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/germany-right-to-encryption/) and [is trying to provoke Europe to ban mass surveillance](https://web.archive.org/web/20211125171453/https://reclaimyourface.eu/new-german-government-calls-for-european-ban-on-biometric-mass-surveillance/). - [2021-12 After citizens protesting, Belgium has removed the "backdoor requirement" from their drafted law](https://web.archive.org/web/20211221103329/https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/belgian-encryption-backdoor-law-stopped/). - [2022-02 IAB Europe, a cookie consent popup tracker, has been fined €250,000 for breaking GDPR rules](https://web.archive.org/web/20220208232221/https://proprivacy.com/privacy-news/iab-consent-popups-ruled-illegal). - [2022-05 Pennsylvania introduced "Click to Cancel" legislation, which requires a simple click-to-unsubscribe for services that only require clicking *to* subscribe](https://web.archive.org/web/20220520053731/https://pahouse.com/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=124404). - [2022-06 EU legislation means multiple Big Tech companies will have to explain their algorithms](https://web.archive.org/web/20220602153849/https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/23/23036976/eu-digital-services-act-finalized-algorithms-targeted-advertising). - [2022-07 The EU Digital Markets Act creates many regulations aimed at Google, Apple, and Amazon](https://web.archive.org/web/20220718085054/https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/07/18/dma-council-gives-final-approval-to-new-rules-for-fair-competition-online/). - [2022-08 The Korean Supreme Court declares that scraping web data is legal](https://web.archive.org/web/20220812164006/https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1ae8c0a9-660b-45b7-9ef6-030f387d6e29). - [2022-09 US Federal government tends not to prosecute Big Tech, but states are taking action](https://web.archive.org/web/20220915185819/https://fortune.com/2022/09/15/amazon-lawsuit-california-state-federal-social-media-hearing/). - [2023-03 The US FTC wants to ban subscriptions which are difficult to cancel](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323104247/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/23/23652373/ftc-click-to-cancel-subscription-service-dark-patterns-ban). - [2023-08 Internet service providers are complaining that a government request to list all recurring monthly fees is too burdensome](https://web.archive.org/web/20230823233446/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/08/isps-complain-that-listing-every-fee-is-too-hard-urge-fcc-to-scrap-new-rule/). - [2023-08 The EU has now illegalized default opt-in for in-app behavior-based advertising](https://web.archive.org/web/20230827081437/https://thisisunpacked.substack.com/p/the-eu-war-on-behavioral-advertising). - [2023-09 The US FCC plans to reinstate net neutrality](https://archive.ph/20230927140558/https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/26/fcc-announces-plans-to-reinstate-net-neutrality/). Government vs. Multiple - [2021-12 A German government has ruled that US-based cookie providers can't collect data on German citizens](https://web.archive.org/web/20211224184304/https://iapp.org/news/a/new-eu-data-blockage-as-german-court-would-ban-many-cookie-management-providers/). - [2022-01 France has fined Google and Facebook millions of euros for not complying with their cookie policies](https://web.archive.org/web/20220106081310/https://www.cnil.fr/en/cookies-cnil-fines-google-total-150-million-euros-and-facebook-60-million-euros-non-compliance). - [2022-01 Illinois is trying to stop tech giants from taking considerable royalties out of developers' profits](https://web.archive.org/web/20220120001854/https://www.wgem.com/2022/01/19/illinois-bill-looks-take-california-tech-monopoly/). - [2022-06 The FCC commissioner Brendan Carr demands Apple and Google remove TikTok from their app stores from their suspicious data practices](https://web.archive.org/web/20220628233008/https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1541823585957707776). - [2022-07 EU Approves Legislation to Regulate Big Tech Firms](https://web.archive.org/web/20220706085442/https://www.macrumors.com/2022/07/05/eu-approves-landmark-legislation-to-regulate-apple/). - [2022-07 A California district has sued Meta and hospitals for using healthcare data in targeted advertisements](https://web.archive.org/web/20220730230410/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/meta-us-hospitals-sued-for-using-healthcare-data-to-target-ads/). - [2022-09 A US appeals court has blocked Facebook, Google, and Twitter from regulating online speech](https://web.archive.org/web/20220916235709/https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-appeals-court-rules-against-big-techs-ability-regulate-online-speech-2022-09-16/). - [2022-11 France has banned Microsoft Office 365 and Google Docs from schools and public administration](https://web.archive.org/web/20221117071609/https://siecledigital.fr/2022/11/17/le-ministre-de-leducation-nationale-ne-veut-pas-de-microsoft-office-365-ni-de-google-workspace/). - [2022-11 The UK is investigating Google and Apple about their mobile browser dominance](https://web.archive.org/web/20221122132438/https://www.ibtimes.com/uk-investigating-apple-google-mobile-browser-dominance-3639076). - [2023-05 New York State's Attorney General secured $615 from the three companies LCX, Lead ID, and Ifficient who supplied millions of fake comments to influence a 2017 FCC decision on net neutrality rules](https://web.archive.org/web/20230511131009/https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2023/attorney-general-james-secures-615000-companies-supplied-fake-comments-influence). - [2023-07 Massachusetts may soon ban the sale of cellphone location data](https://archive.is/20230710145220/https://www.wsj.com/articles/first-u-s-ban-on-sale-of-cellphone-location-data-might-be-coming-fbe47e53). - [2023-08 After Canada's C-18 bill, the Online News Act, required Google and Meta to pay for news links, they both stopped existing in Canada](https://web.archive.org/web/20230802143317/https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2023/08/metablockslinks/). - [2023-09 The UK will not move forward in using its powers in the online safety bill after WhatsApp and other tech companies threatened to pull out of the country](https://archive.ph/HDnUa). The People vs. Multiple - [2022-11 Apple was hit with a class-action lawsuit because they tracked users' mobile activity even though they assured customers they were respecting their privacy](https://archive.is/20221114232803/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/apple-hit-with-class-action-over-tracking-of-mobile-app-activity). - [2023-08 Comcast and CenturyLink were unable to stop a community-owned gigabit fiber network in Bountiful, Utah](https://web.archive.org/web/20230805080602/https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/04/comcast-centurylink-fail-to-derail-community-owned-gigabit-fiber-network-in-bountiful-utah/). - [2023-11 Voters in Maine have overwhelmingly voted for a Right to Repair law for cars](https://web.archive.org/web/20231114132456/https://www.404media.co/voters-overwhelmingly-pass-car-right-to-repair-law-in-maine/). ## Antagonism vs. Government Multiple vs. Government - [2023-04 WhatsApp, Signal, and other messaging apps are threatening to leave the UK over its Online Safety Bill](https://web.archive.org/web/20230418153600/https://gizmodo.com/whatsapp-signal-uk-online-safety-bill-encryption-censor-1850347516). - [2023-06 After Canada's government started requiring Google to pay publishers for news links, Google is discontinuing Google News there](https://web.archive.org/web/20230629171559/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/google-set-to-remove-news-links-in-canada-meta-ends-contract-for-journalism-fellowship-as-bill-c-18-fallout-continues-1.6461557). The People vs. Government - [2022-06 North Koreans are jailbreaking their phones to spread information, against their government's wishes](https://web.archive.org/web/20220615145608/https://www.wired.com/story/north-korean-phone-jailbreakers/). Government vs. Government - [2021-11 US intelligence agencies have added NSO Group, an Israeli military spyware company, to its trade blacklist for US technology](https://web.archive.org/web/20211103142358/https://www.ft.com/content/e381b556-c859-4a3b-8f7c-5fe80d3272d2). - [2022-06 The US' FCC wants TikTok removed from app stores because of how much data TikTok is collecting](https://web.archive.org/web/20220630054239/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tiktok-fcc-1.6505269). - [2022-08 The US government is banning sales of NVIDIA GPUs to China](https://archive.is/20220901140317/https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1045810/000104581022000146/nvda-20220826.htm). - [2022-11 The FCC has banned authorizations for Chinese technology deemed a threat to national security](https://web.archive.org/web/20221125193953/https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-bans-authorizations-devices-pose-national-security-threat), which includes [sales and import of Huawei and ZTE phones](https://web.archive.org/web/20221125211458/https://www.axios.com/2022/11/25/fcc-bans-huawei-zte-equipment-national-security). - [2022-12 The US is asking most of the EU to give over all its facial recognition and fingerprint data](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329172851/https://digit.so36.net/Data/20221227_HIP_EBSP_IBIS.pdf). - [2023-03 The FBI is accusing the CIA of covering up events leading up to 9/11](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323023936/https://www.spytalk.co/p/exclusive-fbi-agents-accuse-cia-of). - [2023-03 Germany opposes the EU's plans for client-side scanning](https://web.archive.org/web/20230308024135/https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/eu-client-side-scanning/). - [2023-03 The USA and China are competing for contracts that install undersea internet cables](https://web.archive.org/web/20230324115141/https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/us-china-tech-cables/). - [2023-03 The NYPD is refusing to comply with NYC's new laws on surveillance tech reporting](https://web.archive.org/web/20230330185814/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/nypd-violating-post-act-inspector-general/). - [2023-05 A FISA court opinion has indicated the FBI improperly searched an intelligence trove connected to the January 6, 2021, Capitol event](https://archive.is/20230522151746/https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-improperly-searched-spy-database-for-information-on-americans-court-says-2f12bcd). - [2023-05 A US district court has ruled that border searches of cell phones require a warrant](https://web.archive.org/web/20230530200208/https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23813619/us-v-smith.pdf). - [2023-09 TikTok was fined $345m for breaking an EU data law about children's' user accounts](https://web.archive.org/web/20230919023235/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/15/tiktok-fined-345m-for-breaking-eu-data-law-on-childrens-accounts). - [2023-10 Finland will vote against the EU Commission's directive to conduct mass surveillance and ban encryption](https://web.archive.org/web/20231023001635/https://dawn.fi/uutiset/2023/10/14/eu-csam-suomi-eduskunta-kanta). - [2024-02 The European Court of Human Rights bans the EU from weakening secure end-to-end encryption](https://web.archive.org/web/20240214135250/https://www.eureporter.co/world/human-rights-category/european-court-of-human-rights-echr/2024/02/14/european-court-of-human-rights-bans-weakening-of-secure-end-to-endencryption-the-end-of-eus-chat-control-csar-mass-surveillance-plans/). Facebook/Meta vs. US Government - [2021-07 Facebook is marking the CDC's official statements as false information](https://web.archive.org/web/20210729205016/https://postimg.cc/XpWyN3pf). - [2021-08 The USA's FTC says that Facebook is making misleading claims about why they're shutting down ad research](https://web.archive.org/web/20210806045652/https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-ftc-says-facebook-misused-privacy-decree-shut-down-ad-research-2021-08-06/). Facebook/Meta vs. Chinese Government - [2022-04 Facebook paid the Republican strategy firm Targeted Victory to malign TikTok](https://web.archive.org/web/20220401215541/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/facebook-tiktok-targeted-victory/). Amazon vs. US Government - [2022-04 Amazon lied to Congress about using third-party seller data to compete in its industries](https://web.archive.org/web/20220419210848/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/03/us-lawmakers-seek-criminal-probe-of-amazon-for-lying-about-use-of-seller-data/). Amazon vs. Chinese Government - [2021-09 Amazon has permanently banned 600 brands and 3,000 seller accounts for review fraud](https://web.archive.org/web/20210917234122/https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/17/22680269/amazon-ban-chinese-brands-review-abuse-fraud-policy). Apple vs. Government - [2021-11 Apple will now notify users and assist them against government-sponsored attacks](https://web.archive.org/web/20211124074712/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212960). - [2023-06 Apple is now opposing government efforts to stop end-to-end encryption](https://web.archive.org/web/20230629084346/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-66028773), such as [removing iMessage and FaceTime from the UK altogether](https://web.archive.org/web/20230721000820/https://9to5mac.com/2023/07/20/apple-imessage-facetime-remove-security-law/). Apple vs. NSO Group - [2021-11 Apple filed a lawsuit against NSO Group and is looking for a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from Apple's ecosystem](https://web.archive.org/web/20211123182141/https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/11/apple-sues-nso-group-to-curb-the-abuse-of-state-sponsored-spyware/). Google/Alphabet vs. Government - [2023-02 The Justice Department says Google has been auto-deleting their chats to hide monopolizing activity](https://web.archive.org/web/20230608034016/https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-says-google-destroyed-evidence-related-to-antitrust-lawsuit-5dad2d6). Twitter/X vs. Government - [2021-01 Twitter has shut down President Donald Trump](https://web.archive.org/web/20210108232715/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/twitter-permanently-bans-president-donald-trump-n1253588). ## Antagonism vs. Facebook/Meta Government vs. Facebook/Meta - [2021-09 Ireland has fined WhatsApp Ireland €225 million for GDPR violations, which is €147.5 million more than Facebook was expecting](https://web.archive.org/web/20210902100544/https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0902/1244293-whatsapp-gdpr-ruling/). - [2021-10 Germany's primary data protection regulator has banned Facebook because of concerns about WhatsApp](https://web.archive.org/web/20211005010430/https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/05/11/germany-bans-facebook-from-handling-whatsapp-data-over-privacy-concerns). - [2022-09 A Washington state judge rules Meta intentionally violated campaign finance laws](https://web.archive.org/web/20220902192316/https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-judge-rules-facebook-parent-meta-intentionally-violated-campaign). - [2023-05 Facebook must pay €1.2 billion for GDPR violations and require active users' consent to track them (though nothing indicated about their shadow profiles)](https://web.archive.org/web/20230524094238/https://tutanota.com/blog/facebook-tracking-business-model-illegal-europe). - [2023-08 Norway has fined Meta $100,000 per day for using individuals' data for targeted ads](https://web.archive.org/web/20230806171201/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/meta-behavioral-ads-eu-norway), and [the ban has expanded to the entire EU](https://web.archive.org/web/20231031211413/https://www.datatilsynet.no/aktuelt/aktuelle-nyheter-2023/datatilsynets-vedtak-mot-meta-utvides-til-eueos-og-gjores-permanent/). - [2023-10 Multiple US states have sued Meta over harmful youth marketing](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.419868/gov.uscourts.cand.419868.1.0.pdf). Apple vs. Facebook/Meta - [2021-09 Apple threatened to remove Facebook's app from their App Store because human traffickers were using Facebook to sell people](https://web.archive.org/web/20210917123740/https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-threatened-to-kick-facebook-off-app-store-human-trafficking-2021-9). - [2021-09 Apple is sabotaging Facebook's advertising data model](https://web.archive.org/web/20210924010008/https://bigtechnology.substack.com/p/completely-running-blind-apples-power), and [cost Meta $10 billion](https://web.archive.org/web/20220208083320/https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/03/how-apples-privacy-push-cost-meta-10bn). ## Antagonism vs: Amazon Government vs. Amazon - [2021-05 California has ruled Amazon is responsible for defective products from third-party sellers](https://web.archive.org/web/20210501170317/https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/1/22414185/california-appeals-court-amazon-marketplace-responsible-third-party-hoverboard). - [2022-01 Washington State is nationally shutting down Amazon's price-fixing program](https://web.archive.org/web/20220126182132/https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-investigation-shuts-down-amazon-price-fixing-program-nationwide). - [2022-02 A US labor board is prosecuting the firing of an Amazon union activist](https://web.archive.org/web/20220206200535/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-21/amazon-activist-s-firing-deemed-illegal-by-labor-board-officials). - [2023-05 The US FTC and DOJ have charged Amazon to pay $25 million for holding on to Alexa voice recordings indefinitely and undermining parents' requests for deletion](https://web.archive.org/web/20230531191931/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-doj-charge-amazon-violating-childrens-privacy-law-keeping-kids-alexa-voice-recordings-forever). - [2023-09 The US FTC is suing Amazon for illegally maintaining monopoly power](https://web.archive.org/web/20231002051321/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/09/ftc-sues-amazon-illegally-maintaining-monopoly-power). Apple vs. Amazon - [2021-09 Apple's Steve Jobs forced Amazon to use Apple's payment system](https://web.archive.org/web/20210915211825/https://twitter.com/TechEmails/status/1438188756738191362). Google/Alphabet vs. Amazon & eBay - [2021-05 Google Chrome recommends local businesses when users shop on Amazon or eBay](https://web.archive.org/web/20210504001441/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/buy-nearby/egoikpnpdihpdfenconkdnndbnhcfmkj). The People vs. Amazon - [2022-06 Amazon is starting to run out of people who want to work for them](https://web.archive.org/web/20220619121801/https://www.vox.com/recode/23170900/leaked-amazon-memo-warehouses-hiring-shortage). ## Antagonism vs: Apple Government vs. Apple - [2021-04 Apple is getting sued for saying that you're "buying" their movies, then removing them](https://web.archive.org/web/20210422173022/https://nofilmschool.com/apple-movie-buys). - [2021-04 The EU has slammed Apple for being anti-competitive](https://web.archive.org/web/20210430104226/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/30/eu-says-apples-app-store-breaches-competition-rules.html). - [2021-11 A US federal judge has said that Apple must let developers add links and buttons to external payment options to bypass Apple's 30% royalty cut](https://web.archive.org/web/20211110020736/https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/9/22773082/epic-apple-fortnite-lawsuit-ruling-injunction-stay-app-store-anti-steering-rules), but [still charges a 27% commission for alternative payment systems in the Netherlands](https://web.archive.org/web/20220208010039/https://9to5mac.com/2022/02/04/apple-will-charge-27-commission-for-purchases-made-using-alternative-payment-systems-in-the-netherlands/). - [2022-12 EU laws require Apple now must allow "sideloading" of its apps](https://archive.is/20230320232010/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-13/will-apple-allow-users-to-install-third-party-app-stores-sideload-in-europe), though [it won't come to the USA](https://web.archive.org/web/20230422134743/https://www.techradar.com/news/ios-17-app-sideloading-might-only-be-available-in-europe). - [2023-01 France has fined Apple €8 million for illegally harvesting user data for ads](https://web.archive.org/web/20230104210332/https://gizmodo.com/apple-iphone-france-ads-fine-illegal-data-1849950163). - [2023-05 Apple was blocked from reviving a copyright case that would ban iOS emulation](https://archive.is/20230508145315/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/apple-fails-to-revive-copyright-case-over-iphone-ios-simulator). - [2023-05 The EU has warned Apple they can't throttle charging speeds with third-party USB-C charging cables](https://web.archive.org/web/20230505142903/https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-may-not-restrict-usb-c-charging-on-new-iphones-after-all). - [2023-09 The iPhone 12 was withdrawn from the French market because it didn't comply with EU regulations](https://web.archive.org/web/20230916170553/https://www.anfr.fr/liste-actualites/actualite/temporary-withdrawal-from-the-market-of-the-iphone-12-for-non-compliance-with-eu-regulation). - [2023-09 The EU is mandating that Apple's iOS 17 allow sideloading of apps, who will comply with the demand](https://web.archive.org/web/20230925131247/https://bgr.com/tech/ios-17-sideloading-support-is-coming-and-apple-cant-stop-it/). - [2023-09 The EU is telling Apple to open everything in its ecosystem up to its rivals](https://web.archive.org/web/20230926150444/https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/09/26/eu-tells-apple-to-open-everything-up-to-its-rivals). - [2023-11 The US Department of Justice has declared that Apple's hiring practices have discriminated against US citizens](https://web.archive.org/web/20231114002247/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/11/apple-discriminated-against-us-citizens-in-hiring-doj-says/). Facebook/Meta vs. Apple - [2022-06 Facebook says Apple is too powerful](https://web.archive.org/web/20220621035721/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/06/facebook-says-apple-too-powerful-theyre-right). Epic Games vs. Apple - [2021-09 Epic Games sued Apple and won about paying royalties on mobile games](https://web.archive.org/web/20210912150835/https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/12/22667694/epic-v-apple-trial-fortnite-judge-yvonne-gonzalez-rogers-final-ruling-injunction-breakdown), though [Apple won an appeals court ruling](https://archive.is/IaCoO). Google/Alphabet vs. Apple - [2022-02 Google is attacking Apple's iMessage as being too influential with children](https://web.archive.org/web/20220204230548/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/01/after-ruining-android-messaging-google-says-imessage-is-too-powerful/), though [they may have a point](https://web.archive.org/web/20220210060704/https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-apples-imessage-is-winning-teens-dread-the-green-text-bubble-11641618009). ## Antagonism vs. Google/Alphabet Governments vs. Google/Alphabet - [2021-01 Multiple US states are suing Google for antitrust behavior](https://web.archive.org/web/20210101060901/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/16/texas-leads-new-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-targeting-ad-tech.html). - [2021-04 Australia has declared that Google has misled consumers about how they're collecting and using user data](https://web.archive.org/web/20210416041504/https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/google-misled-consumers-about-the-collection-and-use-of-location-data). - [2021-06 Ohio has sued Google and wants to classify them as a public utility](https://web.archive.org/web/20210608164020/https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/06/08/ohio-sues-google-seeks-declare-search-engine-public-utility/7602213002/). - [2022-02 France has declared Google Analytics data going to the US isn't sufficiently regulated](https://web.archive.org/web/20220210213920/https://www.cnil.fr/en/use-google-analytics-and-data-transfers-united-states-cnil-orders-website-manageroperator-comply). - [2022-06 Italy has banned Google Analytics](https://web.archive.org/web/20220624092213/https://www.gpdp.it/web/guest/home/docweb/-/docweb-display/docweb/9782874#english). - [2022-07 Dutch schools can no longer use Google's cloud services or email due to privacy concerns](https://web.archive.org/web/20220724025227/https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/dutch-schools-must-stop-using-google-email-and-cloud-services/). - [2022-09 The EU has fined Google $4 billion for monopolistic practices regarding the Android operating system and its search engine](https://web.archive.org/web/20220915001658/https://www.axios.com/2022/09/14/google-loses-appeal-eu-antitrust-ruling). - [2022-11 Google is paying a $391.5 million settlement over its location tracking practices](https://web.archive.org/web/20221114171811/https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/largest-ag-consumer-privacy-settlement-in-u-s-history/). - [2023-01 The US DOJ is suing Google over abusing their monopolized ad situation](https://web.archive.org/web/20230124175049/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/24/technology/google-ads-lawsuit.html). - [2023-07 The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection has declared in an audit that four companies can't use Google Analytics](https://archive.is/t0eFW). - [2023-09 The US FTC is engaging Google/Meta in a gigantic antitrust trial](https://web.archive.org/web/20231001111302/https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/how-to-hide-a-2-trillion-antitrust). Twitter/X vs. Google/Alphabet - [2022-01 Twitter no longer sends users to Google-preferred AMP pages anymore](https://web.archive.org/web/20220108220327/https://searchengineland.com/twitter-rolls-back-amp-support-no-longer-sends-users-to-amp-pages-376168). Smaller Developers vs. Google/Alphabet - [2021-10 Brave has replaced Google with Brave Search in its web browser](https://web.archive.org/web/20211019161334/https://brave.com/search-and-web-discovery/). - [2021-11 Patreon is working to host videos natively to sidestep YouTube's control](https://web.archive.org/web/20211111182600/https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/11/22774301/patreon-jack-conte-video-player-podcast-youtube-launch?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4). ## Antagonism vs. Microsoft Governments vs. Microsoft - [2022-11 Germany has banned Microsoft 365 because it doesn't conform to GDPR](https://web.archive.org/web/20221123182418/https://bestofprivacy.com/eu/germany-forces-a-microsoft-365-ban-due-to-privacy-concerns/), and [is switching to LibreOffice](https://web.archive.org/web/20211118123321/https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2021/11/18/german-state-planning-to-switch-25000-pcs-to-libreoffice/). - [2023-04 A US appeals court rules against LinkedIn that web scraping is legal](https://web.archive.org/web/20230315084228/https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/19/scraping_public_data_linkedin/). - [2023-10 A German court has blocked LinkedIn from dishonoring "do not track" signals](https://web.archive.org/web/20231031140725/https://stackdiary.com/german-court-bans-linkedin-from-ignoring-do-not-track-signals/). ## Antagonism vs. TikTok Government vs. TikTok - [2022-11 South Dakota has banned TikTok from state-owned computers](https://web.archive.org/web/20221130181353/https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-china-south-dakota-ban-bytedance-1849836201). - [2022-12 US Congress passed a spending bill that also banned TikTok from government devices](https://web.archive.org/web/20221223201320/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/congress-passes-spending-bill-with-tiktok-ban-on-government-devices.html). - [2023-05 A California court is suing TikTok for giving backdoor access to China](https://web.archive.org/web/20230527010751/https://www.businessinsider.com/new-lawsuit-alleges-tiktok-owner-let-ccp-access-user-data-2023-5). - [2023-06 TikTok has acknowledged that some Americans' data is stored in China](https://web.archive.org/web/20230621195207/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/tiktok-acknowledges-some-americans-data-stored-china). - [2023-11 Nepal has banned TikTok on the claim that it disrupts social harmony](https://web.archive.org/web/20231115065517/https://apnews.com/article/nepal-tiktok-ban-social-media-854846a42ef566fa296ddaacd0099447). ## Antagonism vs. Others Government vs. Other - [2022-06 The US FTC fines Twitter $150 million for using their two-factor authentication phone numbers for ad targeting](https://web.archive.org/web/20220610230930/https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/05/twitter-pay-150-million-penalty-allegedly-breaking-its-privacy-promises-again) and [sues Intuit for "deceptive" ads that claim TurboTax is free](https://web.archive.org/web/20220506161120/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/03/ftc-sues-intuit-its-deceptive-turbotax-free-filing-campaign). - [2022-08 A class action lawsuit is taking place in a US District Court against Oracle's detailed dossiers of 5 billion people](https://web.archive.org/web/20220822073051/https://www.iccl.ie/news/class-action-against-oracle/). - [2023-01 The FCC threatens to disconnect a large telecom company, Twilio, if they keep servicing illegal robocallers](https://web.archive.org/web/20230126040052/https://commsrisk.com/fcc-threatens-to-disconnect-twilio-for-illegal-robocalls/). - [2023-03 The US FTC is requiring Epic Games to pay $245 million for tricking users into making unwanted charges](https://web.archive.org/web/20230314153839/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/03/ftc-finalizes-order-requiring-fortnite-maker-epic-games-pay-245-million-tricking-users-making). - [2023-05 A US District judge has ruled that Reddit is not obligated to give the film industry personal information about users who commented on Reddit](https://web.archive.org/web/20230501185434/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/05/judge-wont-force-reddit-to-identify-anonymous-users-who-discussed-piracy/). - [2023-08 HP has failed to refute that it bricks printers when the printer cartridge is low](https://web.archive.org/web/20230815171216/https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/hp-fails-derail-claims-bricks-scanners-multifunction-printers-102286365). - [2023-09 The EU fines Intel $400 million for paying HP to not directly sell AMD-powered business PCs](https://web.archive.org/web/20230930213047/https://www.neowin.net/news/eu-fines-intel-400-million-for-blocking-amds-market-access-through-payments-to-pc-makers/). Apple vs. Hackers - [2021-08 Apple uses double agents to infiltrate hacker communities](https://web.archive.org/web/20210818153602/https://www.vice.com/en/article/3aqyz8/apples-double-agent). Apple vs. Developers - [2021-10 Developers who let users create an account on Apple apps must offer people an in-app method of deleting their accounts as well](https://web.archive.org/web/20211012063817/https://www.engadget.com/apple-app-store-ios-developers-delete-account-report-193119525.html). The People vs. Others - [2021-10 Canon has a class-action lawsuit against it for disabling their scanner feature when their printer runs out of ink](https://web.archive.org/web/20211016143007/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/canon-sued-for-disabling-scanner-when-printers-run-out-of-ink/). Other Miscellaneous Things - [2020-02 Cybersecurity analysts were docked a social score by reporting vulnerabilities to PayPal](https://web.archive.org/web/20200218101255/https://cybernews.com/security/we-found-6-critical-paypal-vulnerabilities-and-paypal-punished-us/). - [2021-10 Cloudflare isn't legally required to take down copyright-infringing websites](https://web.archive.org/web/20211009153606/https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/09/cloudflare_cleared_copyright/). - [2023-11 Google has sued 2 men who have used many Google accounts to weaponize DMCA takedowns](https://web.archive.org/web/20231115061409/https://torrentfreak.com/google-sues-men-who-weaponized-dmca-notices-to-crush-competition-231114/). - [2023-11 NVIDIA has been stealing trade secrets from Valeo](https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-sued-for-stealing-trade-secrets-after-screensharing-blunder-showed-rival-companys-code-063009605.html). ## Reduced antagonism For all the above, many organizations have somewhat scaled back their actions. - [2022-06 Spotify and Google announced User Choice Billing](https://web.archive.org/web/20220614052051/https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-03-23/spotify-and-google-announce-user-choice-billing/). - [2022-06 You can now ask Google to remove your phone number, email, or address from search results](https://web.archive.org/web/20220615194434/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/04/you-can-now-ask-google-to-remove-your-phone-number-email-or-address-from-search-results/). - [2022-06 Google gives Europeans a "reject all" button to conform with the EU's GDPR laws](https://web.archive.org/web/20220615032753/https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/21/23035289/google-reject-all-cookie-button-eu-privacy-data-laws). - [2023-11 Google has cut back its experimental Web Environment Integrity API to only apply to Android devices](https://web.archive.org/web/20231108090731/https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/02/google_abandons_web_environment_integrity/).