Silicon Valley pressured as Washington turns up antitrust heat

The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are seen in a combination photo from Reuters files. REUTERS/File Photos

Technology giants are girding for sweeping investigations into their business practices as top US antitrust officials and lawmakers carved out a battle plan targeting Silicon Valley’s best-known names, sending shares tumbling and raising the prospect of a drawn-out fight with the government. 

The House Judiciary Committee said late Monday it plans a bipartisan investigation into whether digital platform companies are using their market power to harm competition. That move heightens scrutiny of Alphabet Inc’s Google, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc after news that top antitrust officials have agreed to divvy up oversight of several technology giants.