Koch family launches ad campaign defending Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook against the mounting antitrust probes that they say are a ‘political spectacle’
- The Koch family launched an ad campaign defending Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook from antitrust probes led by attorneys general
- Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group backed by the billionaire family, urged attorney generals not to go after the large tech companies
- The ad states: ‘Tell Your AG: Don’t Let Government Abuse Antitrust Authority’
- The group asked that state attorneys general not turn their investigation into a ‘political spectacle’
- They ads will run on Facebook over the next two weeks
The Koch family has launched an ad campaign defending Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook from antitrust probes led by attorneys general.
Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group backed by the Republican billionaire family, will release ads over the next two weeks calling on people to urge their state attorneys generals not to go after the large tech companies.
One ad states: ‘Tell Your AG: Don’t Let Government Abuse Antitrust Authority’
The group asks that the attorneys general not turn their investigation into a ‘political spectacle’.
Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group backed by the billionaire Koch family, urged state officials not to go after the large tech companies (pictured is billionaire Charles Koch, head of Koch Industries)
The ad states: ‘Tell Your AG: Don’t Let Government Abuse Antitrust Authority’ and then asks for users to sign a letter to General Paxton
The latest campaign will target attorneys general in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Iowa and Nebraska.
They will run on Facebook over the next two weeks.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is leading the Google probe
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton formally announced the antitrust investigation into Google’s ‘potential monopolistic behavior’ as they examine whether the Silicon Valley tech giant has gotten too big and effective at stomping or acquiring rivals.
He said it would focus on Google’s advertising business.
States have formally requested documents from Google on its advertising business.
Several of the attorneys general at the announcement in Washington D.C. described the investigation as ‘preliminary’ but said they expected it would expand to cover other issues including data privacy.
The probe is the latest blow against big tech companies as antitrust investigations ramp up in the U.S. and around the world.
A separate group of states announced an investigation into Facebook’s dominance on Friday. The Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and Congress are also conducting probes.
Below one ad is a letter addressed to AG Ken Paxton that reads: ‘I’m writing to urge you to keep the focus of your tech antitrust investigation on consumer harm. Too often, we see politicians using antitrust investigations to create a political spectacle while abusing its intended purpose.
‘As you know, antitrust is one of the most powerful tools at the government’s disposal. The consequences of abusing this enforcement for political gain are incredibly serious. Setting a standard of punishing companies for size or success would mean risking the jobs of countless Americans.
‘Please keep the focus of your investigation on preventing instances of consumer harm and thank you for working to keep American consumers safe.’
Below the ‘Sincerely’ line is a form to fill out name and contact information.
The Koch family has taken out ads defending Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook from antitrust probes led by attorneys general
This comes in response to state attorneys general from around the US leading antitrust investigations into American tech companies including Facebook
The group urges people to contact their state’s attorney general and urge them not to turn their investigation into a ‘political spectacle’.
‘We think it’s great that American lawmakers are doing everything they can to ensure consumers aren’t harmed by tech products and services. But when antitrust enforcement is abused, the consequences impact us all,’ the Americans for Prosperity site reads.
‘Recently, politicians have wielded this authority for political gain. Allowing government to step in and break up companies based on size or success would set a dangerous standard for workers in almost every American industry.’