In a 9-0 ruling, the justices said the Federal Trade Commission cannot force companies that engage in wrongdoing to pay restitution to consumers.The Supreme Court case was a key topic at an FTC oversight hearing in the Senate this week. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesThe Federal Trade Commission can’t force companies that engage in wrongdoing to pay back consumers or give up ill-gotten profit, the Supreme Court held Thursday, dealing a huge blow to the agency that could hamper its antitrust and privacy cases.The FTC’s authority under a provision known as Section 13(b) is limited to seeking...…In a 9-0 ruling, the justices said the Federal Trade Commission cannot force companies that engage in wrongdoing to pay restitution to consumers.The Supreme Court case was a key topic at an FTC oversight hearing in the Senate this week. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesThe Federal Trade Commission can’t force companies that engage in wrongdoing to pay back consumers or give up ill-gotten profit, the Supreme Court held Thursday, dealing a huge blow to the agency that could hamper its antitrust and privacy cases.The FTC’s authority under a provision known as Section 13(b) is limited to seeking...WW…

Google, meanwhile, slammed Microsoft and said the FTC’s investigation proved its search engine was good for consumers.A person using a mobile phone walks past Google offices in New York. | Mark Lennihan/AP PhotoRepublican and Democratic lawmakers alike called Tuesday for new scrutiny of a nearly decade-old decision by federal regulators not to sue Google over alleged antitrust violations, in light of .The findings from the Federal Trade Commission’s 2011-2013 investigation into Google’s dominance of the search market prompted calls for hearings over the agency’s decision and stronger...…Google, meanwhile, slammed Microsoft and said the FTC’s investigation proved its search engine was good for consumers.A person using a mobile phone walks past Google offices in New York. | Mark Lennihan/AP PhotoRepublican and Democratic lawmakers alike called Tuesday for new scrutiny of a nearly decade-old decision by federal regulators not to sue Google over alleged antitrust violations, in light of .The findings from the Federal Trade Commission’s 2011-2013 investigation into Google’s dominance of the search market prompted calls for hearings over the agency’s decision and stronger...WW…

A decade ago, a surging Silicon Valley giant was making plans to dominate the internet. Given a chance to stop it, regulators chosen by Barack Obama misread the evidence in front of their eyes.POLITICO illustration by Megan McCrink/Photos by iStockFew moments in the power struggle between Washington and Silicon Valley have inspired more anger and bafflement than one in January 2013, when .The decision still rankles the company’s rivals, who have watched the search giant continue to amass power over smartphones, data-hoovering devices and wide swaths of the internet, unimpeded by laws meant...…A decade ago, a surging Silicon Valley giant was making plans to dominate the internet. Given a chance to stop it, regulators chosen by Barack Obama misread the evidence in front of their eyes.POLITICO illustration by Megan McCrink/Photos by iStockFew moments in the power struggle between Washington and Silicon Valley have inspired more anger and bafflement than one in January 2013, when .The decision still rankles the company’s rivals, who have watched the search giant continue to amass power over smartphones, data-hoovering devices and wide swaths of the internet, unimpeded by laws meant...WW…

Lawsuit says the companies agreed in secret in 2018 to carve up the advertising market between them.“Google offered Facebook information advantages, speed advantages, and other prioritizations, to the detriment of other auction participants,” the lawsuit said. | Paul Sakuma/AP PhotoGoogle and Facebook, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in online advertising, made a secret illegal pact in 2018 to divide up the market for ads on websites and apps, according to an antitrust suit filed Wednesday against the search giant.The suit — filed by Texas and eight other states — alleges that the companies...…Lawsuit says the companies agreed in secret in 2018 to carve up the advertising market between them.“Google offered Facebook information advantages, speed advantages, and other prioritizations, to the detriment of other auction participants,” the lawsuit said. | Paul Sakuma/AP PhotoGoogle and Facebook, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in online advertising, made a secret illegal pact in 2018 to divide up the market for ads on websites and apps, according to an antitrust suit filed Wednesday against the search giant.The suit — filed by Texas and eight other states — alleges that the companies...WW…

The agency's commissioners met Thursday as their staff offered a confidential recommendation on whether to file a complaint against the social network.The Facebook logo is displayed at the Facebook Innovation Hub on Feb. 24, 2016, in Berlin, Germany. | Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesThe Federal Trade Commission’s staff have made a recommendation to the agency’s commissioners on whether to file an antitrust complaint against Facebook, three people familiar with the agency’s probe said Thursday — a potential new milestone in Washington’s fight to rein in Silicon Valley.The FTC’s five commissioners...…The agency's commissioners met Thursday as their staff offered a confidential recommendation on whether to file a complaint against the social network.The Facebook logo is displayed at the Facebook Innovation Hub on Feb. 24, 2016, in Berlin, Germany. | Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesThe Federal Trade Commission’s staff have made a recommendation to the agency’s commissioners on whether to file an antitrust complaint against Facebook, three people familiar with the agency’s probe said Thursday — a potential new milestone in Washington’s fight to rein in Silicon Valley.The FTC’s five commissioners...WW…

Democratic AGs are ditching the Trump administration's Google suit, which is likely to be filed early next week.The Justice Department building is seen in Washington. | Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department is likely to file its long-awaited antitrust suit against Google early next week, but without the sign-on of any Democratic attorneys general, four people familiar with the case said Friday — upending the Trump administration’s hopes to enlist bipartisan support for its fight against the internet giant.The suit, the first major monopolization case in decades, comes as both...…Democratic AGs are ditching the Trump administration's Google suit, which is likely to be filed early next week.The Justice Department building is seen in Washington. | Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department is likely to file its long-awaited antitrust suit against Google early next week, but without the sign-on of any Democratic attorneys general, four people familiar with the case said Friday — upending the Trump administration’s hopes to enlist bipartisan support for its fight against the internet giant.The suit, the first major monopolization case in decades, comes as both...WW…