Silicon Valley is facing a new enemy in antitrust push -- state attorneys general

Silicon Valley doesn’t just have to worry about antitrust action in Washington. States are becoming an important and perhaps more formidable force when it comes to addressing competition in the technology industry. “There’s been a tendency to just rely on the federal government to play the lead role,” said Gene Kimmelman, a senior adviser at Public Knowledge. “There’s a greater recognition now that the digital marketplace is increasingly dominated by a few firms who have remained the lead players for numerous years. This is all a trend that state enforcers are recognizing and stepping up to the plate to play a role in policing." 

“It’s not clear that the US Congress is capable of dealing with nuance and complicated challenges in this moment," said Blair Levin, who served in the Federal Communications Commission during the Clinton administration. He says there is an “inchoate” consensus building in Washington that it's time for antitrust action against Big Tech, but he doesn't expect quick congressional action on such a complicated problem. “There is a sense something must be done, but there’s not a consensus of what should be done,” he said.