Majority of Americans in Favor of Breaking up Big Tech

Two-thirds of Americans are in favor of breaking up big tech companies like Google or Facebook if it helped level the playing field for all online content. YouGov and think tank Data for Progress asked 1,200 registered voters whether they supported or opposed breaking up big tech so they can't prioritize content they benefit from financially. 68 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Republicans said they supported such a measure, showing a rare instance of bipartisan agreement.

When asked whether they supported reversing acquisitions of tech giants (e.g. the acquisition of Instagram by Facebook) to enable more competition, 63 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of Republicans still agreed. According to Vox, which reported the findings, support was consistent across all educational levels, age groups and other demographics as well.

The Department of Justice in July announced a major antitrust review aimed at big tech companies, among others, and is looking into whether big online platforms are engaging in "practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers." While the topic has been picked up by primary presidential candidates and many current lawmakers, concrete policy measures against big tech have yet to emerge.