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Game on for UK’s deeper antitrust probe of Microsoft-Activision
TechCrunchNov 25, 2022
The Facts
On Wednesday, the European industry group Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers (CISPE) filed a complaint against Microsoft over its cloud computing practices with the European Commission.
CISPE, which features Amazon as a member, alleges that Microsoft uses its dominance in productivity software to direct customers in Europe to its Azure cloud service and makes it difficult for customers to switch to other providers.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
American Big Tech is harming EU consumers and businesses, and it's time the EU takes a stand. Microsoft is integrating its software deeper and deeper into its service and software portfolio, including Windows, making it almost impossible to compete.. Meanwhile, other tech giants like Google and Amazon are doing the same thing. European consumers should have a free choice, and competition should be fair.
Pro-establishment narrative
Under the guise of promoting competition, the European Commission has launched a full-scale assault on American companies, and this recent antitrust case is just the latest example. This self-destructive strategy will only hurt Europe's consumers and tech industry, which won't be able to fill the void left once the EU successfully severs the once-friendly ties between American businesses and the European market.
