Microsoft President Brad Smith will testify at US House antitrust hearing
Microsoft’s President has been a vocal supporter of antitrust laws related to the media and tech giants, and now he’s set to testify at a House hearing.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What you need to know
Microsoft President Brad Smith will reportedly testify at the upcoming House antitrust subcommittee hearing. The news of Smith’s upcoming testimony comes from a report fromAxios. The hearings will reportedly look into antitrust laws in the United States in relation to the news and media. Smith will reportedly speak at a hearing next Friday, March 12.
Australia recentlypassed legislationthat requires Google and Facebook to pay for local news content. That law will be looked at by the House while considering potential proposals for the U.S.
Both Smith and Microsoft as a companyendorsed Australia’s media law. That law requires Facebook and Google to pay media outlets for local news content used on the company’s respective platforms.
Microsoft and Smith’s support of the media law andcall for similar laws to be adopted by the U.S.come as a stark contrast to the reactions of Google and Facebook.
Google and Facebook fought against Australia’s proposal while it was being debated. Facebook pulled news content from Facebook in Australia, and Google threatened to take its search business out of the country. It’s not clear if the tech giants would be as aggressive in response to similar legislation in the U.S.
Microsoft isn’t subject to the legislation in Australia, though it states that it would agree to be if designated. It’s likely that Microsoft would take a similar approach to any similar legislation passed in the U.S., though that could depend on the exact nature of the legislation.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
