Amazon's cloud business reportedly facing growing antitrust scrutiny
The FTC is reportedly asking questions about Amazon Web Services
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Antitrust investigators have reportedly widened their examination of Amazon and its retail marketplace to include the corporation's cash cow: cloud computing.
The Federal Trade Commission is asking questions about Amazon Web Services, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Amazon Web Services makes up 60 percent of Amazon's recent operating income and is far more popular than competitors like Microsoft's Azure.
AMAZON RING POLICE PARTNERSHIPS RISE NATIONWIDE
Amazon makes money off of databases, machine-learning tools and other products related to its web services, too.
A team of FTC officials interviewed small businesses that sell their products on Amazon to determine whether the e-commerce behemoth is using its marketplace to hurt competition, Bloomberg reported in September.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 207.09 | +7.59 | +3.80% |
Jaivin Karnani, a suspended Amazon merchant, told FOX Business he spoke with the FTC — five attorneys and one economist — on Aug. 23 for about 90 minutes. Karnani said the group asked him about Amazon's suspension policy and the percent of revenue his business receives from other platforms.
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The Trump administration's heightened antitrust scrutiny of Amazon and Google could have a wide-reaching impact on the sector even if charges are not brought against two of the largest U.S. technology firms, former government officials and industry experts told FOX Business.
FOX Business' inquiries to Amazon and the FTC were not immediately returned.
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FOX Business' Megan Henney contributed to this report.