The Antitrust Playbook for Big Tech MTA
How regulators, courts, and policymakers are reshaping monopolies in the technology industry

About this book:

The Antitrust Playbook for Big Tech examines how regulators, courts, and policymakers are re-evaluating traditional antitrust principles to address the unique challenges posed by dominant technology companies. The book begins by outlining the foundational U.S. antitrust laws—the Sherman Act, Clayton Act, and FTC Act—and then demonstrates how these statutes are being applied to the digital economy's distinct characteristics. Key sources of market power in tech, such as network effects, vast data accumulation, and customer lock-in, are explored as critical factors that create formidable barriers to entry and entrench the dominance of a few players. Building an antitrust case against these firms requires extensive evidence, sophisticated economic models, and specific metrics adapted to "free" services and interconnected digital ecosystems.

The book then delves into major case studies that illustrate the evolution of antitrust enforcement in the digital age. It analyzes the historical significance of *United States v. Microsoft* as a precedent for platform monopolization and tying, and dissects the ongoing challenges against Google for its alleged monopolies in search and ad tech through exclusionary agreements and self-preferencing. The battles over app stores, notably the *Epic Games* lawsuits against Apple and Google, highlight disputes over commission rates and control over digital distribution. Furthermore, the FTC's challenges to Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp illuminate concerns about "killer acquisitions" and the elimination of nascent competition, extending this scrutiny to emerging markets like VR with the *Within/Meta* case. Amazon's dual role as a marketplace operator and direct retailer is examined through the lens of self-preferencing tactics in search results and its "Buy Box."

Beyond specific cases, the book explores broader regulatory trends and policy tools. It details the complex issues of vertical integration risks in foundational digital layers like cloud computing, semiconductor chips, and "edge" infrastructure, and examines how control over these essential inputs can be leveraged to foreclose rivals. The importance of standards-essential patents (SEPs) and FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing in preventing abuse of intellectual property in standardized technologies is also covered. The convergence of privacy, consumer protection, and antitrust is highlighted, with discussions on how data collection and privacy practices contribute to market power and can be forms of non-price harm. The book also addresses the new frontiers of market power presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and foundation models, and the potential for algorithmic collusion.

Finally, the book provides a forward-looking perspective on compliance and strategy. It outlines the crucial role of global rulebooks, such as the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA), and the approaches taken by other jurisdictions like the UK and Australia, emphasizing their ripple effects on global tech operations. It discusses the intensified scrutiny of mergers and acquisitions, including the HSR process, second requests, and gun-jumping traps. The importance of proactive "compliance by design," embedding antitrust principles into governance, KPIs, and internal controls, is stressed. The role of advocacy and public narrative in shaping perceptions and influencing policy is also explored. The book concludes with playbooks for both dominant firms and startups, offering strategies for navigating current enforcement trends, anticipating future scenarios, and ensuring that innovation and growth align with responsible, pro-competitive practices in an increasingly regulated digital world.

What You'll Find Inside:

• Learn how network effects, data moats, and customer lock‑in create and sustain market power in digital platforms, and how regulators measure these sources of dominance.
• Explore landmark antitrust cases—from United States v. Microsoft to the DOJ and state actions against Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon—and the practical lessons they offer for today’s platform economy.
• Understand the toolkit enforcers use to build cases: evidence gathering (internal documents, data, testimony), economic modeling, market definition, and the role of algorithms and pricing behavior.
• Discover the range of remedies—behavioral vs. structural, interoperability and data portability mandates, and how global rulebooks like the EU DMA/DSA and UK/Australia approaches are reshaping competition.
• Get actionable playbooks for compliance by design, M&A risk management, startup competition strategies, and scenario planning to anticipate future enforcement trends in AI, cloud, chips, and emerging markets.

Who's It For:

This book is written for corporate leaders, product managers, executives, and compliance or legal professionals in technology companies who need clear, actionable guidance rather than dense case citations. It also serves policymakers, regulators, investors, and startup founders who must understand how antitrust law applies to digital markets, assess competitive risks, and navigate an evolving global enforcement landscape.