The fight is on: Meta, Spotify, and the Match Group (which owns and operates various online dating services) have teamed up for a lobbying coalition to fight Apple and Google, according to Bloomberg (a subscription is required to read the entire article).
The “Coalition for a Competitive Mobile Experience” is a coordinated effort by the companies (who have long accused Apple anti-competitive practices) to influence federal and state legislation amid mounting pressure to implement digital safeguards for minors. They want Apple and Google to address concerns about age verification requirements and addressing long-standing grievances about app store practices.
Bloomberg says the coalition plans to lobby lawmakers, engage with federal regulators, and support ongoing antitrust enforcement actions against Apple and Google. Brandon Kressin will direct the coalition. He’s an antitrust lawyer who previously represented both Match Group and Spotify and has connections to key figures in Biden’s antitrust enforcement team.
“What these founding companies share in common is they rely on the mobile ecosystem in order to serve their customers,” said Kressin. “They each recognize there’s power in numbers, especially when going up against companies as powerful as the duopoly.”
He also had this to say: “Smartphones have become one of the most important tools in our daily lives, but the mobile experience is controlled by gatekeepers that have used their control of the market to stifle competition and choice at the expense of consumers. Leveling the playing field, increasing interoperability, and adding age-based content restrictions in the app store will give consumers the power they deserve, providing more freedom and access, all while lowering costs.”
