The steep and rapidly growing fees Amazon extracts from the businesses that have little choice but to rely on its site to reach customers are a striking measure of its monopoly power. These exorbitant fees are crushing many sellers, raising consumer prices, and funding Amazon’s expanding empire.… Read More
ILSR co-hosted a virtual press event alongside consumer advocates, antimonopoly reformers, and small businesses urging Congress to pass the Credit Card Competition Act. … Read More
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, ILSR warned that control over cloud computing, the backbone of the modern economy, is dangerously concentrated. Amazon Web Services (AWS), which controls more than 40 percent of global cloud infrastructure, has exploited its position to lock-in customers, shut out rivals, and reap unfair advantages in its other non-cloud business lines. ILSR urges the FTC to use its authorities to open the market to needed competition.… Read More
Our new fact sheet explains how credit card monopolies and banks are imposing swipe fees — what is essentially a monopoly tax — to rake in profit at the expense of small business and consumers. Congress must take action. … Read More
In this commentary from the Minneapolis StarTribune, John Farrell makes a case against monopoly utilities using customer funds for political lobbying. Compelling captive customers to pay for political speech is a violation of their first amendment right, says Farrell.… Read More
Lawmakers in Minnesota will have the opportunity this legislative session to put the state at the forefront of a growing national movement to improve and strengthen laws to constrain monopoly abuses against workers, independent businesses, and communities.… Read More
Today the Institute for Local Self-Reliance was joined by joined by 24 utility justice, consumer advocate, and environmental organizations in submitting comments urging the Energy Information Administration to incorporate interconnection and utility shutoffs data.… Read More
Ron Knox writes in Slate how the shocking collapse of Taylor Swift’s tour ticket presale was an inevitable failure of the monopoly Ticketmaster.… Read More
A new study from the Digital Equity LA initiative lays bare how low-income communities of color are impacted by the quiet business decisions of the county’s monopoly Internet service provider…… Read More
