Should We Break Up Big Tech?
BU Questrom experts on what we need to consider before breaking up companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
Big technology (Facebook, Amazon, Google, Apple) firms’ products and services are deeply integrated into our daily lives. Their growing presence is upping scrutiny by the government, which is imposing harsher penalties on Big Tech engaging in anticompetitive practices. It’s not just Washington D.C. who has a problem with Big Tech. Many Americans are concerned about the sway these big tech companies have over daily life and the sheer volume of personal data these companies collect.
Five Questrom professors—Michael Salinger, Jacqueline and Arthur Bahr Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, Garrett Johnson, assistant professor of marketing, Timothy Simcoe, associate professor of strategy and innovation, Kabrina Chang, a clinical associate professor of markets, public policy, and law, Marshall Van Alstyne, Questrom Professor in Management—with expertise in the economic, political, and customer-relation share their views on current technology regulations and further considerations to account for before striking harsh penalties on these tech giants. They delve into why a breakup might be illegal, the bottlenecking of resources, and the true value of our data.
Check out the in-depth feature that examines some of the broader implications of regulating and breaking up Big Tech.