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0 pointsjs23y ago0 comments

The FTC blocks mergers all the time. Here’s some in the news:

https://khn.org/news/article/biden-ftc-block-hospital-merger...

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ftc-blocks-merger-of-lockh...

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/nvidia-and-arm-merger-deal-b...

https://www.housingwire.com/articles/50114-ftc-moves-to-bloc...

https://www.legalbettingonline.com/news/daily-fantasy-sports...

Mostly the FTC’s work happens quietly and unnoticed, but there are annual reports here:

https://www.ftc.gov/policy/reports/annual-competition-report...

And you can search merger actions here:

https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/merger-review

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3 comments · 1 top-level

solardev3y ago· 2 in thread

Are there any significant historical cases? The Nvidia and Arm one seems like a big deal (if it succeeds), but the others just seem like random low-hanging fruit. I feel like the ones that matter (ISPs, cell phone carriers gobbling each other up, the Microsoft/Facebook/Adobes of the world, AMD buying ATI...) never really get stopped.

js2OP3y ago

AT&T/T-Mo blocked:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-anti...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_purchase_of_T-Mobile...

T-Mo/Sprint would have been blocked (and fell apart multiple times) if not for the Trump administration:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merger_of_Sprint_Corporation_a...

I think you’re undervaluing the significance of the FTC’s everyday work, but I’ll agree with your the Federal government has not been aggressive enough in exercising its anti-trust authority.

Isn't AT&T/T-Mo a DoJ effort, not the FTC? I don't see the FTC's involvement in your links... were they cooperating behind the scenes somehow?

The Sprint one was also DoJ, according to the wiki.

I get that the FTC on paper is supposed to enforce things like that, but their track record doesn't seem great. It just feels like a zombie agency that used to have teeth a long time ago...

Edit: I guess they've been squabbling for a while: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/18/the-ftc-and-doj-are-squabbli... but maybe are trying to work it out? https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/01/...

Then probably the next Republican president will come along and just got both their efforts all over again...

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