Big Tech antitrust legislation would prevent monopolies like Amazon and Google from engaging in unfair practices
NFIB is urging Congress to consider legislation that will help protect small business owners from unfair practices by Big Tech companies. In a member ballot, 84% of NFIB members favor Congress taking legislative action to control unfair and anticompetitive practices of large tech companies. On Nov. 17, NFIB members Mark Faulkner and Deeannah Seymour made the case for Big Tech antitrust legislation in front of a U.S. Senate briefing and explained their concerns in brief video testimonies:
Mark Faulkner is founder and CEO of Vireo systems. Mark started his business in 2002 with a focus on finding safe, healthy, and legal performance enhancement compounds, peptides, and amino acids that could help athletes and fitness enthusiasts as an alternative to steroids. Vireo now makes holistic products for people and pets.
“I was grateful to testify on behalf of small businesses about these Big Tech bullying monopoly techniques and activities that are going on, mainly because it’s so frustrating and we’ve lost so much business associated with these practices,” Mark said. “These practices are really unethical, and it is something that is not replicated at other retailers.”
Deeannah Seymour is CEO and cofounder of PhD Feminine Health. They make holistic products for feminine care that are sold at over 45,000 retailers nationwide, including Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens.
“After we realized what they were doing with our company and with our product, we felt compelled to speak out. It is not only illegal, the business practices, but it’s a huge consumer safety issue. [Amazon is] selling expired product….anyone can open up a store on Amazon and sell products and there’s no recourse, no accountability. That would never happen at another major retailer.”
The goal of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, S.2992, is to ensure fairness for small businesses and options for consumers. NFIB supports preventing companies like Amazon from engaging in practices such as taking away the “buy box” on a product if the price is raised as little as one cent and add accountability so small business owners can trust their products will be sold fairly.
“This legislation is so important, not only for my small business, but for all the other millions of small businesses across the U.S.,” explained Deeannah. “It’s already difficult enough to try to thrive in these trying times, but this legislation will make it easier for small businesses to do business in the U.S.”
Mark, Deeannah, and many other small businesses across the nation have been forced to use Big Tech services to compete, but with the help of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, fair practices can be put in place to create a more equal playing field for small and large businesses alike. Take Action: Tell Congress that as a small business owner, you support reining in Big Tech companies and ensuring a fair and level playing field for small business users.
