The Antitrust Week In Review

Here are some of the developments in antitrust news this past week that we found interesting and are following.

EU’s Vestager Warns Companies Against Abusing Algorithms.  Europe’s antitrust chief on Thursday warned companies against using algorithms to block rivals or form cartels, saying she may slap heftier fines on them if they use such software to commit wrongdoing.  European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who is poised to fine U.S. technology giant Google in the coming months for using its algorithm to unfairly demote rival shopping services in internet search results, said she was vigilant to such illegal practices.

British Regulators to Investigate 21st Century Fox’s Deal for Sky.  Britain asked regulators on Thursday to investigate whether 21st Century Fox’s $14.3 billion deal to take full control of the British satellite television giant Sky would give the media mogul Rupert Murdoch too much control over the country’s media landscape.  The takeover for the 61 percent of Sky that 21st Century Fox does not already own was agreed on in December and is the second such effort to combine the two companies since 2011.  The latest attempt quickly raised a wave of criticism in Britain, where Mr. Murdoch already holds several media interests.

EU Seeks to Encourage Whistleblowers in Fight Against Cartels.  EU antitrust regulators on Thursday unveiled plans to help individuals to blow the whistle on cartels while protecting their identity, a move which may lead to more cases of wrongdoing being uncovered in the future.  The European Commission, which currently relies on companies to alert them to cartels in exchange for no sanction, said the scheme is aimed at employees who want to do the right thing by stopping illegal price fixing.

Exclusive: Delrahim to Head Justice Department Aantitrust Unit – Sources.  Makan Delrahim, a veteran lobbyist on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is expected to be nominated to head the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, two sources familiar with the vetting process told Reuters on Friday.  Delrahim is expected to move to the Justice Department after finishing up in the White House counsel’s office, where he is working to steer Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch through the Senate confirmation process.