Recently, Big Tech firms have come under increased scrutiny and pressure by the American and Chinese governments. This is partly due to persistent perceptions of Big Tech as harmful monopolies.

Selecting only ONE of the following tech giants: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Google, Alibaba, or Tencent, research and write an essay in response to the following question: Do you agree that Big Tech are harmful monopolies and hence need to be regulated by the State?

The essay will be assessed on the following:

Evaluation of State Responses (35%)

Discuss and evaluate, with properly cited evidence, the responses of the PRC or US officials/politicians to your selected tech giant's perceived monopolistic behaviour.

Analysis and Application of the Monopoly Concept (35%)

Explain, with properly cited evidence, the types of harmful behaviour that monopolies have traditionally shown.

Illustrate, with properly cited evidence, how your selected tech giant's activities resemble or do not resemble the types of harmful behaviour that monopolies have traditionally shown.

The following articles may be helpful to get you started:

Campbell, C. (2021, May 20). How China Is Cracking Down on Its Once Untouchable Tech Titans. TIME. https://time.com/6048539/china-tech-giants-regulations/

Karishma V. (2021, April 15). Is Alibaba's fate a warning to China's tech giants? BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56741551

Robertson, A. and Brandom, R. (2020, October 6). Congress releases blockbuster tech antitrust report. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/6/21504814/congress-antitrust-report-housejudiciary-committee-apple-google-amazon-facebook

Green, L. (2021, May 2). Antitrust: Hawley and Klobuchar on the big tech battles to come. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/02/antitrusttyranny-of-big-tech-josh-hawley-amy-klobuchar-google-facebook-amazon