{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/johnson-leads-bipartisan-call-investigation-anticompetitive-practices", "Johnson Leads Bipartisan Call for Investigation of Anticompetitive Practices in the App Marketplace", "2016-10-19", "2016", "2016-10", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Henry C. \u201cHank\u201d Johnson, Jr., the Ranking Member of the Antitrust Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee,\u00a0has called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)\u00a0to investigate concerns regarding anticompetitive activity in the app marketplace. Earlier this year,\u00a0The Washington Post\u00a0reported\u00a0that numerous developers have raised concerns with anticompetitive practices in this market, such as onerous conditions applicable to rival apps that may create an uneven playing field.\n\u201cIt is critical that we promote and defend competition, even in markets that are highly innovative, to ensure that small entrants aren\u2019t squeezed out through needlessly restrictive conditions and policies,\u201d Johnson stated. \u201cI strongly encourage the FTC to give this issue the close attention that it deserves.\u201d\nJohnson is joined on the bipartisan letter by U.S. Reps. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Lamar Smith (R-TX), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Dave Trott (R-MI), who express concerns in the letter that \u201cthese practices will stifle innovation and decrease channels for distributing the products of application and service developers, resulting in fewer and less cost-effective choices for consumers.\u201d\nJohnson has championed efforts to increase privacy, security, and choice in the app marketplace. He has introduced H.R. 4517, the Application Privacy, Protection and Security (APPS) Act of 2016, a bill to increase consumer privacy on mobile devices; and H.R. 4516, the Data Broker Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act of 2016, which would prohibit data brokers from using consumer data deceptively, empowering consumers to access and correct information, and opt-out of data use for marketing purposes.\nOctober 19, 2016  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0  \n\tThe Honorable Edith Ramirez  \n\tChair  \n\tFederal Trade Commission  \n\t600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW  \n\tWashington, DC 20580  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tDear Chairwoman Ramirez:\nIt is our understanding that some independent and small technology developers have raised concerns with the Federal Trade Commission that the increasing difficulty that app developers have in reaching and communicating with customers in some app ecosystems may undermine competition in digital services and products distribution. We are concerned that these practices will stifle innovation and decrease channels for distributing the products of application and service developers, resulting in fewer and less cost-effective choices for consumers.  \n\tAs Members of the United States House of Representatives serving on the Committee on the Judiciary, we are committed to ensuring a competitive marketplace for all companies online, including new entrants and small competitors. Accordingly, we ask that the Commission carefully consider these concerns.\u00a0  \n\tWe believe the Commission has the statutory authority to fairly regulate the market and enforce the antitrust laws to promote competition and protect consumers. If it is not within the Commission\u2019s authority, we welcome your suggestions as to how Congress may act to remedy any deficiencies in the Commission\u2019s authority concerning this matter.\u00a0  \n\tPlease respond to us regarding these concerns by no later than November 19, 2016.\u00a0\nSincerely,\n_______________________________  \n\tHenry C. \u201cHank\u201d Johnson, Jr.  \n\tMember of Congress\n_______________________________  \n\tF. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.  \n\tMember of Congress\n_______________________________  \n\tDavid Cicilline  \n\tMember of Congress  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\t_______________________________  \n\tLamar Smith  \n\tMember of Congress\n_______________________________  \n\tSheila Jackson Lee  \n\tMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\n_______________________________  \n\tDave Trott  \n\tMember of Congress  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/johnson-leads-bipartisan-call-investigation-anticompetitive-practices"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9552381709218025, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}