Big Tech Bill Approved by Senate Panel Despite Lobbyists’ Opposition

Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee on "An Examination of Facebook and Its Impact on the Financial Services and Housing Sectors" in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC on October 23, 2019. (Photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP) Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

The  Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 20 voted 16–6 to advance legislation that would bar tech giants such as Amazon.com from giving preferential treatment on platforms they own to their products and services, in defiance of powerful Silicon Valley lobbyists and pleas from top executives such as Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act passed the committee with bipartisan support and will now go to the Senate floor to face a vote.