Antitrust hearing: Zuckerberg goes against expected script, hides behind Apple and Google

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg railed against Google, Apple Inc and Amazon during the testimony before Antitrust panel on July 29, going against the expected script. The motive behind appearing before the panel together was considered as a move by the tech CEOs to spread the burden but Zuckerberg went off-script by pointing out how it lags behind its competitors. 

“The most popular messaging service in the US is iMessage. The fastest-growing app is TikTok. The most popular app for video is YouTube. The fastest-growing ads platform is Amazon. The largest ads platform is Google. And for every dollar spent on advertising in the US, less than ten cents is spent with us,” said Zuckerberg.

The chief executives of the Big Techs - Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Apple Inc’s Tim Cook - gave virtual testimony House Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel. The subcommittee hearing was on "Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 6: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google".

Read: Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook CEOs Face US Congress On Competition, Antitrust Laws

Opening remarks

House Judiciary Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee Chair David N. Cicilline said during the opening remarks that the committee has held five hearings to examine the effects of online market power on innovation and entrepreneurship, data privacy, a free and diverse press, and independent businesses in the online marketplace.

Cicilline asserted that the investigation has been bipartisan from the start as the committee held 17 briefings and roundtables with over 35 experts and stakeholders. He said that the purpose of the latest hearing was to examine the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. The lawmakers added that these corporations are likely to emerge stronger and more powerful than ever before in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

“These companies serve as critical arteries of commerce and communications. Any single action by any one of these companies can affect hundreds of millions of us in profound and lasting ways,” Cicilline highlighted.

Read: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Questioned Over Use Of Cookie Data For Targeted Behavioral Ads