Shapiro Urges Congress Not to Pick App ‘Winners and Losers’

CTA “urges caution” as lawmakers weigh tech mandates to curb app store antitrust practices, President Gary Shapiro will tell a Senate Competition Subcommittee hearing Wednesday. “New legal requirements for app store providers and consumers could have major unintended consequences affecting national competitiveness, privacy and security, entrepreneurs and even the retirement accounts of millions of Americans as the companies potentially hurt by the proposed policies are owned by millions of Americans.” There are 20-plus mobile app stores, “facilitating a $1.7 trillion ecosystem led almost entirely by U.S. companies,” he says. “Avoid adopting policies that pick winners and losers in the app market.” Competition is “alive and well” in relevant markets, ACT|The App Association wrote the subcommittee, noting lack of small-business witnesses.