What would Europe be without a mountain of regulations aimed at curbing free speech and privacy? Attendees at Amazon.com Inc. annual cloud computing conference walk past the Amazon Web Services logo in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 30, 2017. Salvador Rodriguez/Reuters File PhotoThe European Commission (EC) on Monday launched three separate investigations into Amazon and Microsoft to determine whether their cloud computing businesses should be subject to stricter regulation under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA ...

The European Commission said it’s raided the premises of a vaccine firm suspected of abusing its market dominance by engaging in “anticompetitive disparagement” https://t.co/9Czyxg1gvk ...

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and seven states have filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment, alleging illegal practices in ticket sales and consumer deception [1][3]. Group 1: Allegations Against Ticketmaster - The complaint claims that Ticketmaster violated the FTC Act and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) by allowing brokers to purchase tickets beyond artists' limits and selling them at significant markups in the secondary market [3]. - Ticketmaster is accused of engaging in bait-and-switch pricing, which obscures mandatory fees from consumers [3]. - The FTC is seeking civil penalties and additional monetary relief in its lawsuit [5]. Group 2: Regulatory Context - The lawsuit follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, emphasizing the need for the federal government to protect consumers from ticketing fraud [4]. - The FTC has been investigating whether Ticketmaster has effectively enforced the BOTS Act, which prohibits automated software from circumventing ticket limits [5]. - Ticketmaster claims to block approximately 200 million bot attempts daily [5]. Group 3: Industry Reactions - Ticketmaster has expressed that the FTC has a fundamental misunderstanding of its policies [6]. - The FTC previously sued ticket reseller Key Investment Group for allegedly using illegal tactics to bypass Ticketmaster's purchasing limits [6]. - A representative from Key Investment Group criticized the FTC's lawsuit, arguing it misapplies the BOTS Act and threatens the secondary ticket market, consolidating power within the industry's largest monopoly [7].

Core Points - District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers criticized Apple for violating a 2021 injunction related to the Epic Games antitrust case, stating that Apple executives, including VP of Finance Alex Roman, provided false testimony under oath [1][2] - The court has referred the matter to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate potential criminal contempt proceedings against Apple [2] - The original case against Apple was initiated by Epic Games in 2020, accusing the company of anticompetitive practices concerning its App Store and in-app payment systems [2][3] - In a 2021 ruling, the court found that Apple's restrictions on in-app purchasing methods were anticompetitive in one of ten counts, leading to an injunction that required Apple to allow developers to inform users about external purchasing options [3] - Judge Rogers stated that Apple has not complied with the injunction and has continued its anticompetitive conduct to maintain its revenue stream, indicating a deliberate effort to mislead the court [3] - An Apple spokesperson expressed strong disagreement with the court's decision and stated that the company would comply with the order while planning to appeal [4]