Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have partnered to introduce groundbreaking legislation that aims to establish a new agency with the authority to regulate major tech companies. The bipartisan Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act, unveiled on Thursday, seeks to create an agency dedicated to overseeing Meta, Google, Amazon, and other tech giants, with the goal of promoting competition in the industry and safeguarding consumer privacy online.
According to the bill, the commission would collaborate with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), which currently serve as antitrust enforcers. The legislation would also implement regulations requiring “dominant platforms” to obtain licenses, which could be revoked for repeated violations of anti-competitive and anti-consumer conduct.
This bill is another move by Congress to address the immense power of tech giants. In the past year, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced two bipartisan antitrust reform bills—the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and the Open App Markets Act. However, these bills did not progress to a vote on the Senate floor. Similar companion bills did not advance beyond the House Judiciary Committee either.
Warren and Graham’s proposal takes a broader approach to tech regulation by establishing a dedicated commission to oversee the rapidly expanding industry. The legislation would empower this commission to address emerging risks, including those associated with artificial intelligence (AI), an area where lawmakers and regulators struggle to establish comprehensive rules.
In a joint op-ed published in The New York Times, the senators emphasized their determination to rein in Big Tech and the inadequacy of incremental measures. They stated that Congress is too slow and lacks the necessary technical expertise, while Big Tech lobbyists easily thwart individual efforts. They argued that meaningful change requires a structural overhaul and warrants the collective engagement of every member of Congress.
Efforts to enact tech reforms have historically faced significant challenges, as the industry launches extensive lobbying campaigns to influence legislation. Additionally, Republican leaders in the House have prioritized content moderation battles rather than advancing bills to address the market power of Big Tech.
For Warren, her collaboration with Graham marks her second recent bipartisan alliance. Last month, she joined forces with Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) to propose a bill that imposes harsher penalties on failed bank executives.
In conclusion, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Lindsey Graham’s Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act presents an innovative approach to regulating tech giants, aiming to ensure healthy competition and protect consumer privacy online.
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