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Totally agree I don’t get why antitrust gave the okay to this…

by baggiponte 4y ago

Someone 4y ago
Did they? Typically, the intent to merge comes before any anti-trust investigation.
nicoburns 4y ago
Probably because anti-trust enforcement only seems to get involved when two already huge companies are involved.
- pavlov 4y ago
  Nah, they just have different rules for different huge tech companies. FTC is blocking Meta’s acquisition of Within, the maker of a VR fitness app - an extremely niche product. Meanwhile Microsoft and Adobe seem confident that they can close on deals to buy Activision and Figma.
kylemh 4y ago
can antitrust prevent public companies from acquiring private companies?
- atestu 4y ago
  yes. Whether they're public or private doesn't change anything about how competitive they are.
lvzw 4y ago
The antitrust agencies in the United States (FTC and DOJ) do not proactively give approval for companies to merge. After official merger filings have been made (which they have not in this case), the FTC or DOJ have a process in which they gather evidence and determine whether they have grounds to challenge the proposed merger. [1] [1] https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/mergers/premerger-notification-merger-review-process https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui...
dbbk 4y ago
They haven't decided anything yet
fblp 4y ago
Anyone here can lodge this simple form and I'd encourage you to do so. Especially if you think this merger will substantially lesson competition and stifle innovation lodge a complaint: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/report-antitrust-violation https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/report-antitrust-violation At a minimum, they will investigate this and make inquiries (typically within months) if they see a high volume of complaints. See https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/mergers https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui... For more info on the relevant law :)
- dawsmik 4y ago
  1. Here is the email: antitrust@ftc.gov 2. It should include something similar the following (maybe a lawyer here, could help): a. Adobe acquiring Figma may violate anti-trust laws. b. These are the 2 dominate players in web design apps. There is very little competition elsewhere. c. I am a user and once they merge there is no viable competitor.
  - vgel 4y ago
    Sent, thank you. I also made sure to mention the "consumer harm" (keyword) of forcing consumers to engage with Adobe's predatory pricing model ("annual subscription billed monthly" bs)

Totally agree I don’t get why antitrust gave the okay to this…

Someone 4y ago

Did they? Typically, the intent to merge comes before any anti-trust investigation.

nicoburns 4y ago

Probably because anti-trust enforcement only seems to get involved when two already huge companies are involved.

pavlov 4y ago
Nah, they just have different rules for different huge tech companies. FTC is blocking Meta’s acquisition of Within, the maker of a VR fitness app - an extremely niche product. Meanwhile Microsoft and Adobe seem confident that they can close on deals to buy Activision and Figma.

kylemh 4y ago

can antitrust prevent public companies from acquiring private companies?

atestu 4y ago
yes. Whether they're public or private doesn't change anything about how competitive they are.

lvzw 4y ago

The antitrust agencies in the United States (FTC and DOJ) do not proactively give approval for companies to merge. After official merger filings have been made (which they have not in this case), the FTC or DOJ have a process in which they gather evidence and determine whether they have grounds to challenge the proposed merger. [1] [1] https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/mergers/premerger-notification-merger-review-process https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui...

dbbk 4y ago

They haven't decided anything yet

fblp 4y ago

Anyone here can lodge this simple form and I'd encourage you to do so. Especially if you think this merger will substantially lesson competition and stifle innovation lodge a complaint: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/report-antitrust-violation https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/report-antitrust-violation At a minimum, they will investigate this and make inquiries (typically within months) if they see a high volume of complaints. See https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/mergers https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui... For more info on the relevant law :)

dawsmik 4y ago
1. Here is the email: antitrust@ftc.gov 2. It should include something similar the following (maybe a lawyer here, could help): a. Adobe acquiring Figma may violate anti-trust laws. b. These are the 2 dominate players in web design apps. There is very little competition elsewhere. c. I am a user and once they merge there is no viable competitor.
- vgel 4y ago
  Sent, thank you. I also made sure to mention the "consumer harm" (keyword) of forcing consumers to engage with Adobe's predatory pricing model ("annual subscription billed monthly" bs)