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> People get mad that when there's an oil shortage, that oil companies raise prices above the cost of production

It's a bit different when they all (i.e. cartel) agree to keep the same price even after the shock has passed, isn't it?



if there's clear evidence to this, it's illegal


According to the author, there is - through an app - and they even admit to it.


under what statute would this be illegal?


sherman act in usa


how many companies - lifetime - have actually been charged, convicted and significantly impacted by the sherman act?


Here is a page DOJ publishes on that (at least for fines). https://www.justice.gov/atr/sherman-act-violations-yielding-...

I also found this for criminal prosecutions under section 2 which is the section covering illegal monopolies. Pages 12 and 14 have some quick summary charts and tables.

https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/ant...


Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon are the ones in FANMAG off the top of my head.

Also keep in mind that the existence of the law guides decisions around compliance. There is ample evidence that all of the big decisions at FANMAG are viewed through compliance with anti-trust as a concern. Basically, a lot of big companies haven't been prosecuted because they have armies of lawyers working on where exactly that law kicks in, and how much they can step over the line without putting themselves at serious risk.

The existence of the law itself is a deterrence mechanism. It just seems like the justice department is hampered with a century old law in dealing with a modern world.

I personally think that we should be more zealous in enforcing, or better yet, pass better laws. Move the line way back, essentially.


Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon have really been hurting … :)


You can get this information from google. If you're trying to make a point, just make it!


The same one that makes price fixing illegal.

Go look up price fixing, and tell me why that statute wouldn't apply here, if you remain unconvinced.




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