Time to break up Google and Facebook, says New York attorney general candidate Zephyr Teachout

New York attorney general candidate Zephyr Teachout promised to “explore breaking up” Facebook and Google if she is elected, using state and federal antitrust laws. Standing in front of the Manhattan offices of the New York Daily News, Teachout said tech companies are to blame for dominating the online advertising market — drawing revenue from newspapers and publishers. Teachout’s remarks came a day after the Daily News in New York announced layoffs that reduced the size of its newsroom by half.

“As attorney general," Teachout said, "I would work with my colleagues in other states to launch a major antitrust investigation to look into the ways in which Facebook and Google are wielding and may be abusing their duopoly powers.” Teachout’s campaign promise brings a national debate about competition and monopoly to a contested four-way race for one of the most powerful law enforcement positions in the United States. Along with California, New York is widely viewed as a leader on consumer protection issues, given the size of its population and the zeal with which its attorneys general have pursued litigation against allegedly misbehaving companies.