The FTC’s Bureau of Compet­ition will put some 17 staff attorn­eys on the task forceWASHINGTON: The Federal Trade Commission, under pressure to keep closer tabs on big tech companies such as Alphabet’s Google and Facebook, said on Tuesday it would create a task force to monitor the sector and investigate anti-competitive conduct. The FTC’s Bureau of Competition will put some 17 staff attorneys on the task force, which will consult on tech-related merger reviews, investigations and reviews of consummated tech deals. “It makes sense for us to closely examine technology markets to ensure consumers benefit from free and fair competition,” FTC Chairman Joe Simons said in a statement. Facebook’s shares pared modest gains after the FTC task force announcement, closing down about 0.3 per cent at $164.13. The App Association, which represents app makers, said it looked forward to the task force’s work.

Source: The Express Tribune February 27, 2019 12:06 UTC