February 3, 2022
A bipartisan bill that would regulate the management of Apple’s and Google’s mobile app stores and enable greater competition on the platforms passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
The committee voted to advance the Open App Markets Act 21-1, with only Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas voting no.
The bill, which will head to the Senate floor where it is expected to pass in the coming months, would force Google and Apple to give up control over their app stores by requiring them to house apps from other marketplaces, allow apps to use alternative payment systems and offer different price points elsewhere, and enable app developers to reach their users directly for legitimate business purposes.
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Conservatives in support of the bill say the Big Tech companies have created a false narrative to create opposition to the bill.
“This bipartisan movement proves that no matter how much Big Tech lobbies behind closed doors, they will not succeed,” said Mike Davis, president of the conservative advocacy group the Internet Accountability Project.
“Big Tech’s dishonest, last-minute attempt to paint this bill as a danger to U.S. national security is a transparent effort to mislead the committee and is especially laughable considering Google’s and Apple’s subservience to American adversaries, including the genocidal communist Chinese government,” Davis added.
Unlike the Big Tech monopolies, the Internet Accountability Project pledges to never sell or share your personal information, which is your property.