The group commends the subcommittee’s initiative for tackling the complex issue of addressing competition policies but notes developers’ preference for industry-led changes.
Washington D.C., March 9th, 2020 — The Developers Alliance has sent a letter to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law in response to its February 25th “Reviving Competition, Part 1: Proposals to Address Gatekeeper Power and Lower Barriers to Entry Online” hearing.
In their letter, the Developers alliance praises and agrees with the committee’s intent to create opportunities for developers.
“…we appreciate the subcommittee’s efforts to address gatekeeper concerns and remove barriers to entry in the technology space, as we too believe that all developer-led companies should have the ability to build successful companies in a fair ecosystem that supports and contributes to a thriving American economy.”
The Developers Alliance also notes, however, that the situation is far more complex than it has been politically portrayed and that many developers would prefer industry and coalition-led answers to these complicated questions.
“We previously wrote to your committee in December 2020 in conjunction with other industry organizations to address our concerns as members of the startup ecosystem. We noted then, and still believe, that focusing on policy proposals exclusively aimed at abuses by “big tech,” while not bearing in mind the impacts on smaller firms, may inadvertently harm innovation and competition in technology-driven industries.”
“There is definitely an appetite for reform around competition issues in the technology space,” said Sarah Richard, Policy Counsel & Head of US Policy. “The technology space has greatly evolved over the course of the last few decades, especially when you’re talking about competition policy. There needs to be a balance of having laws that promote growth in this fast-moving sector while being mindful to not hamper the success of small tech companies.”
The full text of the letter can be found here.
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About The Developers Alliance
The Developers Alliance is the world’s leading advocate for software developers and the companies invested in their success. Alliance members include industry leaders in consumer, enterprise, industrial, and emerging software development, and a global network of more than 70,000 developers.
Dakota Graves
Communications Manager
