The DOJ is reportedly preparing to open a broad probe into 'Big Tech'

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to open a broad probe into whether big tech companies like Amazon, Facebook, and others are illegally harming their competitors, the department said in a press release on Tuesday.

The investigation is the latest antitrust probe looking into “Big Tech” and is separate from the potential investigations into Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Alphabet.

The Department said the probe will address “widespread concerns” that individuals and industries alike have raised regarding competition in the search, social media, and online retail markets.

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to open a broad probe into whether big tech companies like Amazon, Facebook, and others are illegally harming their competitors, the department said in a press release on Tuesday.

The investigation is the latest antitrust probe looking into “Big Tech” and is separate from the potential investigations into Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Alphabet that are reportedly being brought up against them by the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission.

“Without the discipline of meaningful market-based competition, digital platforms may act in ways that are not responsive to consumer demands,” Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said in Tuesday's press release. “The Department's antitrust review will explore these important issues.”

Read more: The head of the Justice Department division reportedly preparing an antitrust investigation into Google used to be a lobbyist defending Google against antitrust concerns

The DOJ said the investigation will look into how online market leaders have risen to power and whether their efforts have hurt competition, discouraged competition, or harmed consumers. The Department also said the probe will address “widespread concerns” that individuals and industries alike have raised regarding competition in the search, social media, and online retail markets.

According to the Wall Street Journal, who spoke to department officials, there is no clear end game for the Big Tech probe, but there are multiple options “on the table.” The broad investigation could also lead the DOJ to investigate individual companies, The Journal said, and move beyond antitrust concerns.

Although no specific companies were named in the DOJ's announcement on Tuesday, major tech companies — like Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, and Facebook — are likely to face scrutiny. Already, reports have circulated that these four companies will face individual investigations from the DOJ and FTC — the two agencies with jurisdiction to carry out antitrust probes.