A tweak in the challenge for tech giants

The announcement of a probe into some of the largest tech companies by the US Department of Justice will be unwelcome, though inevitable news for Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter

Facebook’s offices at Grand Canal Quay in Dublin

The announcement of a probe by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) into some of the largest tech businesses on the planet will come as no surprise. The real issue for these enormous companies is that the means of attack are quite different to what they are used to.

Whereas European Union and Federal Trade Commission investigations tend to have specific charges in mind, the DoJ has a much broader remit with its ...