United States takes on Google in biggest tech monopoly trial of 21st century
NPR Online NewsAPR 2 2023
US Sues Apple for Illegal Monopoly Over Smartphones
Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It takes only an Apple device and another from a competitor to verify that all allegations in this lawsuit are true. While Apple has claimed that these limitations are in place to protect consumers' privacy and security, the company actually makes chat messages less secure and functional. Additionally, consumers aren't allowed to download innovative apps — including games and payment services. This lawsuit is crucial to better regulating Big Tech.
Establishment-critical narrative
Apple and other big techs are indeed dominant in some very specific ecosystems for now, but it's highly unlikely that this situation will hold forever. The explanation for this spate of populist, bipartisan antitrust actions relies not on actual monopoly concerns, but rather on political agendas to expand control over American businesses. If Apple does harm its consumers, it's up to them — not the government — to say.