A Bipartisan Majority of Voters Are Concerned About the Impact Big Tech Companies Have on the U.S. Economy and on Economic Competition
By Carly Berke
Cracking down on the largest technology companies in the world, including Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta (Facebook), has become an increasingly salient issue in D.C. and for voters across the country. Almost all the Big Tech giants are currently subject to multiple lawsuits, federal and state regulation, and antitrust investigations both in the U.S. and around the world.
One top concern is the impact of tech monopolies on economic competition. In 2020, an antitrust investigation into Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook, led by the House Judiciary Committee, found that tech giants have consolidated and maintained their monopoly power at the expense of market competition. The committee found that Big Tech uses the massive troves of data it collects from users and businesses to push out rivals, take advantage in new product markets, and stifle innovation.
New Data for Progress polling reveals that 67 percent of voters are very or somewhat concerned about major tech companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google wielding their monopoly power to block competition from smaller businesses.
Additionally, voters agree by a +39-point margin (63 percent agree, 24 percent disagree) that Big Tech’s economic power is a problem facing the U.S. economy. That includes a +41-point margin for Independents (62 percent agree, 21 percent disagree) and a +31-point margin for Republicans (59 percent agree, 28 percent disagree).
Our polling also finds 76 percent of voters agree (by a +60-point margin) that the government should take a closer look at mergers made by big tech companies. That includes a +57-point margin for Independents (74 percent agree) and +47-point margin for Republicans (69 percent agree).
Similarly, a bipartisan majority of voters (64 percent) agree the government should more strongly regulate big tech companies because they use their market power to pick winners and losers in the market.
Congress is poised to act on the issue of multinational tech company regulation. One bill under consideration, the ACCESS Act, would require big tech companies to make user data portable and their services interoperable with other platforms. This would allow users to identify a third-party service to manage their privacy and account settings, and would encourage more market-based competition in the technology and social media markets.
We find that voters support the ACCESS Act by a +57-point margin (70 percent support, 13 percent oppose). This polling also reflects strong bipartisan support: Independent voters support the legislation by a +61-point margin (70 percent support) and Republicans by a +48-point margin (65 percent support).
Voters across the ideological spectrum are wary of the impact that Big Tech has on our economy and on our lives. Congress and the Biden Administration should act swiftly to pass antitrust legislation and stop tech giants from taking advantage of user data to consolidate their power and crowd out competition.
Carly Berke (@carlyberke) is the Strategic Partnerships Coordinator at Data for Progress.