Majority in poll says Big Tech has ‘too much power in the market’

More than half — 60 percent — of Americans say Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta have “too much power in the market,” according to a poll released Tuesday. 

The survey, exclusively shared with The Hill, was conducted by on behalf of the American Economic Liberties Project, a group that has been vocally critical of the market power of tech giants, including Google. 

Asked to choose between two statements that best fit their view of the power of Big Tech, 60 percent said the companies “have too much power in the market, which puts competitors at a disadvantage and hurts both smaller businesses and consumers.” 

The majority opinion was shared across party lines, including 65 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of independents and 53 percent of Republicans expressing that view, according to the poll. 

Just 30 percent of respondents said the companies “showcase the best of American innovation and capitalism, and are deserving of the profits and market power they have achieved.” 

Nearly half — 46 percent — of Americans surveyed said government officials should do more to regulate Big Tech companies, whereas 30 percent said they are doing the right amount and 14 percent said they should do so less. 

The poll surveyed 1,227 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents Sept. 13-14, just after the Department of Justice’s antitrust case targeting Google’s power in the search engine market kicked off in trial. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The government alleges Google maintains an illegal monopoly in the search market through exclusive contracts that allow it to be the default search engine across web browsers, especially on mobile devices. 

Google has pushed back strongly on the allegations, essentially arguing its products are superior to rivals’, which it says has allowed it to maintain agreements to be the default engine and the most popular choice among consumers, not because of anticompetitive agreements. 

The trial is expected to last a total of 10 weeks. 

It is playing out as lawmakers and regulators have put more of a focus on holding tech giants accountable.