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Tech Giants Face Scrutiny on Antitrust, Content, and Resource Use
Washington, D.C. – Several major technology companies faced increased scrutiny from U.S. and international authorities this week, addressing concerns ranging from antitrust violations to content moderation and resource depletion.
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights on Tuesday, February 4, 2026, regarding the potential competitive impact of a proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). According to Ars Technica, Sarandos aimed to convince the subcommittee that the merger would not lead to higher prices for consumers. He suggested that users could cancel their service if the merger made it too expensive. One Republican senator accused Netflix of creating the "wokest content in the history of the world," according to The Verge.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a cross-appeal in its antitrust case against Google, Stevie Bonifield of The Verge reported on February 3, 2026. The DOJ's Antitrust Division announced the cross-appeal on X, formerly known as Twitter, following Google's own appeal filed last month. The case revolves around Google's alleged search monopoly.
In Europe, X's Paris office was raided by French law enforcement authorities as part of an investigation into illegal content, Ars Technica reported. Elon Musk was also summoned for questioning. The Paris public prosecutors office stated that the yearlong probe was recently expanded because the Grok chatbot was allegedly disseminating Holocaust-denial claims and sexually explicit deepfakes. Europol is assisting French authorities in the investigation, which concerns a range of suspected criminal offenses linked to the platform's functioning and use, including the dissemination of illegal content and other forms of online criminal activity.
Beyond content and competition, the increasing demand for metals needed for technology was also highlighted. MIT Technology Review reported that the demand for nickel, copper, and rare earth elements is rapidly increasing amid the explosive growth of metal-intensive data centers, electric cars, and renewable energy projects. The article noted that producing these metals is becoming harder and more expensive because miners have already exploited the best resources. It cited the example of the Eagle Mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where nickel concentration is falling and could soon drop too low to warrant digging, even as carmakers want the metal for electric-vehicle batteries. Biotechnology could provide a solution, according to the report.
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