Publications

Monopoly Matters

Bayer-Monsanto Deal Closes as Farmers Warn of Higher Prices and Less Resiliency

Bayer-Monsanto Deal Closes as Farmers Warn of Higher Prices and Less Resiliency

On Thursday, Bayer closed its $62.5 billion purchase of Monsanto. This comes roughly a week after the Department of Justice (DOJ) approved the merger, on the condition that the corporations sell off $9 billion worth of assets, including seed divisions, intellectual property, research projects, and more. Yet even after these divestitures, the combined entity will be the largest global seed and agrochemical corporation, and U.S. based field crop growers fear the power of the new combine.

BlogsClaire KellowayJuly 6, 20182018, July 2018, Food & Agriculture, Food & Power, Claire Kelloway

America Has a Major Market Power Problem & SCOTUS Just Made It Worse

America Has a Major Market Power Problem & SCOTUS Just Made It Worse

In the Take Care blog, Lina Khan explains why the SCOTUS decision on AmEx shows stunning disregard for traditional antitrust principles.

Op-EdsOpen MarketsJuly 5, 20182018, July 2018, Competition Law & Philosophy, Entrepreneurship

These 11 Companies Control Everything About the Fourth of July

These 11 Companies Control Everything About the Fourth of July

In an article for Vice, Open Markets Food & Power reporter Claire Kelloway explains why from hot dogs to beer to chips and even charcoal, you don’t have much of a choice in whom you pay to celebrate. Even though the average grocery store carries tens of thousands of products, Americans' Independence Day shopping dollars overwhelmingly go to a tiny number of enormous companies.

Op-EdsClaire KellowayJuly 4, 20182018, July 2018, Food & Agriculture, Claire Kelloway

The Supreme Court just quietly gutted antitrust law

The Supreme Court just quietly gutted antitrust law

Lina Khan explains how the decision in favor of American Express will make it easier for big tech companies to pressure workers, suppliers, and customers.

Op-EdsOpen MarketsJuly 3, 20182018, July 2018, Competition Law & Philosophy, Entrepreneurship

Fast Company: Two weeks after Time Warner deal is approved, AT&T raises DirecTV Now rates

Fast Company: Two weeks after Time Warner deal is approved, AT&T raises DirecTV Now rates

Matt Stoller's tweet called out AT&T for raising prices.

ClippingsOpen MarketsJuly 2, 2018July 2019, 2019, Mergers & Acquisitions

Sources of Tech Platform Power

Sources of Tech Platform Power

In the Georgetown Law Technology Review, Lina Khan writes about the growing share of our commerce and communications that tech platforms possess.

ArticlesOpen MarketsJuly 1, 20182018, July 2018

America’s most insidious union-buster? Its own government

America’s most insidious union-buster? Its own government

Sandeep explains how antitrust laws are being used an anti-worker tool.

Op-EdsSandeep VaheesanJune 29, 20182018, June 2018, Labor, Sandeep Vaheesan

The Economist: How regulators can prevent excessive concentration online

The Economist: How regulators can prevent excessive concentration online

The Economist notes Barry Lynn and Matt Stoller's role in the debate on how to address tech monopolies, and endorses the idea that Facebook should be separate from WhatsApp and Instagram, a measure that the Open Markets Institute was first to call for.

ClippingsOpen MarketsJune 28, 2018June 2018, 2018, Barry Lynn, Competition Law & Philosophy

The Corner Newsletter, June 28, 2018: Fighting Against Monopoly — SoftBank's Market Power Machine — AT&T Moves to Manipulate

The Corner Newsletter, June 28, 2018: Fighting Against Monopoly — SoftBank's Market Power Machine — AT&T Moves to Manipulate

In this issue of The Corner, we look at U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's extreme pro-corporate record in antitrust cases. We report on the troubling implications of Match Group's roll-up of dating apps and question its intentions. And we interview Stacy Mitchell on Amazon's effort to grab power over your local government's procurement business.

NewslettersOpen MarketsJune 28, 20182018, June 2018

The Intercept: An Extremely Consequential Supreme Court Decision Slipped Under the Radar

The Intercept: An Extremely Consequential Supreme Court Decision Slipped Under the Radar

Lina Khan's March op-ed is cited in this article explaining the consequences of the Supreme Court ruling.

ClippingsOpen MarketsJune 27, 2018June 2018, 2018, Competition Law & Philosophy, Law

A Chinese-Style Digital Dystopia Isn’t As Far Away As We Think

A Chinese-Style Digital Dystopia Isn’t As Far Away As We Think

Matt explains the danger the individual citizen faces by endorsing the business model of total surveillance and discrimination and the recent AT&T Supreme Court decision.

Op-EdsOpen MarketsJune 27, 20182018, June 2018

The Amex ruling cements the domination of big companies

The Amex ruling cements the domination of big companies

In the Financial Times, Barry Lynn writes that this decision will make it harder to bring even basic antitrust complaints.

Op-EdsBarry C. LynnJune 27, 20182018, June 2018, Competition Law & Philosophy, Entrepreneurship, Barry Lynn

Bloomberg: American Express Case Could Shield Tech Giants From Antitrust Scrutiny

Bloomberg: American Express Case Could Shield Tech Giants From Antitrust Scrutiny

Lina Khan explains the negative effect the Supreme Court decision has on the effectiveness of antitrust scrutiny of dominant tech platforms.

ClippingsOpen MarketsJune 25, 2018June 2018, 2018

Economic Times: How Amazon is winning the online retail game. Again.

Economic Times: How Amazon is winning the online retail game. Again.

Lina Khan's article in the Yale Law Journal is cited as a resource to explain Amazon's market power.

ClippingsOpen MarketsJune 25, 2018June 2018, 2018, Amazon

Open Markets Statement on Ohio v. American Express Decision

Open Markets Statement on Ohio v. American Express Decision

In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Ohio v. American Express, the Open Markets Institute released the following statement.

Press ReleasesOpen MarketsJune 25, 20182018, June 2018

Report | America's Free Press and Monopoly

Report | America's Free Press and Monopoly

Reports & White PapersOpen MarketsJune 22, 20182018, June 2018, Google, Center for Journalism & Liberty

Iowa Farm Bureau is a suburban insurance company pretending to be the voice of farmers

Iowa Farm Bureau is a suburban insurance company pretending to be the voice of farmers

In The Des Moines Register, Open Markets' fellow Austin Frerick writes about the Iowa Farm Bureau's power over agricultural policy and how its private revenue sources have given it significant clout both in Iowa and in the national agricultural space. It continues to push for cultivation of only a few crops without any consideration of the consequences of this model on rural Americans. Monopolies, however, thrive under this system.

Op-EdsOpen MarketsJune 22, 20182018, June 2018, Food & Agriculture, Food & Power

Speech by Open Markets Executive Director Barry Lynn at 5th UNl Global Union

Speech by Open Markets Executive Director Barry Lynn at 5th UNl Global Union

"We are not consumers, as they define us. We are not mere seekers of stuff, as they define us. We are not even merely workers, fighting merely for workers rights, as they define us. We are Citizens, and we seek nothing more, nor less, than a Citizen’s Liberty. Liberty to think freely. To share equally in all rule. To own our own selves absolutely."

BlogsOpen MarketsJune 20, 20182018, June 2018