Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: The 2021 IDA Debate on Breaking Up Big Tech

reportActive / Technical Report | Accesssion Number: AD1211548 | Open PDF

Abstract:

On November 8, 2021, two teams of IDA researchers participated in a debate on breaking up big tech companies like Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google, and Microsoft (FAANG-M). The teams one pro-breakup and one anti-break up responded to four questions: Do these large multi-national corporations (MNCs) pose national security and/or economic security problems? Is there something about the current state of the world that exacerbates these problems and/or affects the decision about breaking them up and/or how to break them up? Do the benefits of breaking up these companies outweigh the risks and does that answer depend on the company? Would a breakup actually achieve the desired results and is it the best approach? This paper captures each teams arguments and responses to the four questions and identifies actions taken after the debate occurred.

Author(s):
Albert, Michelle G. ; Haas, Claire E.
Author Organization(s):
INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES ALEXANDRIA VA
Funding Organization(s):
INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES ALEXANDRIA VA, ALEXANDRIA, VA
Document Type:
Technical Report/Final Report
Publication Date:
2023 Jul 03
Pagination:
48

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution Code:
A - Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement: Public Release.
Copyright: Not Copyrighted

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Descriptor(s):
social media, national security, smartphones, information operations, terrorism, mobile phones, economic security, congress, intellectual property, disinformation, information systems, law, air force, commerce, governments, internet, security
Keyword(s):
Big tech, breakup, anti-trust, monopoly, multi-national corporations
Subject Categories:
Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Modernization Areas:
Cyber; Quantum Science and Computing
Communities of Interest:
; ; ; ;
Descriptor(s):
social media, smartphones, information operations, national security, terrorism, mobile phones, economic security, disinformation, law, air force, commerce, congress, governments, internet, security, standards, virtual reality
Creation Date:
2023 Sep 27
Update Date:
2023 Nov 27