survey: americans think big tech isn’t so bad after all

There is an unusual level of agreement across the political spectrum regarding the need to address the power of large technology companies.

Following a 16-month inquiry, a House committee, led by Democrats, recently designated Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google as monopolies that stifle both competition and the development of new ideas, drawing parallels between these four companies and the powerful industrialists of the late 19th century.

Shortly thereafter, the Trump administration initiated legal action against Google, aiming to prevent it from “illegally sustaining monopolistic control,” with potential remedies including a company breakup.

Furthermore, just recently, the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from 48 states – representing both sides of the political aisle – filed separate, yet coordinated, lawsuits against Facebook, seeking to reverse what they describe as “predatory” and “unlawful” acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. With Joe Biden’s upcoming inauguration, his administration is anticipated to continue pursuing the federal antitrust cases targeting both Google and Facebook.

Both major political parties concur that Big Tech has grown to a size that is detrimental to the public interest.

However, the general public often holds a different perspective, with their opinions shifting depending on how the issue is presented.

When directly questioned by The Harris Poll about whether Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google constitute monopolies that hinder competition and innovation, a significant majority of American adults aligned with the House Judiciary Committee’s conclusions. A substantial number also expressed support for breaking up Google, with close to half believing that dismantling Facebook would foster innovation and better protect consumers. They appear to encourage action by those seeking to enforce antitrust laws.

Conversely, when asked about the broader categories of digital services dominated by these four companies – such as web search, online shopping, streaming, or social media – Americans overwhelmingly identify their preferred providers as not being monopolies.

The majority of Americans perceive a wealth of competition and choice within the digital marketplace. They generally believe that these large technology companies promote innovation and enhance the nation’s global position. In essence, size does not automatically equate to a negative outcome in their view.

It’s important to note that most Americans are not experts in antitrust law or economics, and therefore lack the specialized knowledge to definitively identify monopolies and assess their impact on the market. They primarily experience Big Tech as consumers, forming opinions based on personal experiences and feelings rather than complex legal or economic data. Our research indicates that, as consumers, Americans generally view technology favorably.

Our survey of 2,069 U.S. adults revealed that nearly two-thirds use a search engine like Google and access social media platforms like Facebook on a daily basis. Almost half shop on Amazon or another online retailer at least weekly, and two-thirds stream video content through platforms such as YouTube, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further solidified these habits. For example, half of American adults report increased video streaming, and a third report increased online shopping due to spending more time at home. Even if consumers feel that Big Tech companies sometimes fail to act in their best interests – and over half acknowledge this – they are not sufficiently dissatisfied to switch to alternative options.

American consumers also do not feel constrained by a lack of alternatives. Google holds a 94% market share in mobile internet search, a figure that many would consider monopolistic. However, despite 55% of Americans agreeing that Google wields excessive power and should be separated from YouTube and Gmail, four out of five believe that viable alternatives exist.

In fact, nearly twice as many respondents indicated that there are too many choices for search engines (19%) compared to those who believe there are too few (11%). Americans express similar perceptions of competition in the markets for social media, video and audio streaming, e-commerce, and other digital services like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Despite their dominant market positions, American consumers do not believe these companies are harming their competitors. While three-quarters of Americans recognize Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook as monopolies, four out of five believe these tech giants foster innovation within their respective industries, and two-thirds believe they enhance the nation’s global reputation.

Individuals with college degrees and those aged 45 and older are somewhat more inclined to view Big Tech as a catalyst for innovation and competition, although these positive perceptions are shared across all demographic groups.

As I am not an antitrust lawyer or macroeconomist, I am not qualified to assess the merits of the bipartisan legal challenges against Big Tech. However, based on our polling data, I can offer insights into how Americans are likely to respond to the Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google as it proceeds, and to any further actions taken by Congress or regulators to limit Big Tech’s influence.

When we distinguish between Americans’ specific opinions about individual companies and their broader perceptions of the digital environments they use daily, there appears to be limited justification for the federal government to dismantle Big Tech. A further point to consider is that barely half of the American adults surveyed believe that regulators and lawmakers are the appropriate bodies to determine whether a company has become too large.

Should these companies ultimately be reduced in size, the average American consumer likely would not be overly concerned, provided that their preferred apps, search engines, shopping sites, streaming services, and social media platforms remain accessible – and, in their opinion, readily available.