(more on) MY INTERPRETATION of Q-2170:
I meant to add one more thing, in reference to Q’s opening question: “How do you demonstrate ‘reasonable cause’ to regulate and/or break up BIG TECH?” ...
If a person or company sues under the Sherman Act, they may be entitled to monetary damages; HOWEVER, if the DoJ sues, and wins, in addition to other criminal penalties, they may be entitled to “STRUCTURAL RELIEF.”
“Structural Relief” may mean BREAKING UP THE COMPANY, as happened to Standard Oil and to the old AT&T (aka the BELL SYSTEM).
Q: “Break up BIG TECH.”
And one more thing (my best Columbo imitation)...
These BIG TECH Companies may be deemed to be both COMPETITORS and SUPPLIERS to some of the entities they are suppressing ... ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT TEST (known as vertical/horizontal relationship, if I recall) for GUILT under the Sherman Act.
I might just marry it.
Bagster
:: ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT TEST (known as vertical/horizontal relationship, if I recall) ::
The horizontal aspect is communication among themselves regarding business plans/technology improvements. The vertical aspect is The Cloud, to which they are all connected and interact with using algorithms and bot-crawlers.