The U.S. Department of Justice will reportedly launch a separate investigation into Google's acquisition of leading wearables manufacturer Fitbit. The said probe is separate from the existing investigation that was launched against American "big tech" this year.
According to the New York Post, a source with knowledge of the situation said the merger was already cleared for review by the DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also requested for authority to look into the Google-Fitbit merger.
While Google deals in the past have largely been handled by the FTC, it is no question why the DOJ is also interested in the controversial acquisition, considering that the latter already launched an earlier probe into potential antitrust violations by the search engine giant and other tech companies in the country.
"The DOJ's handling of Fitbit will give an early read on the Google investigation," a source from Washington revealed. However, the story doesn't end with the justice department as an antitrust attorney from DC warned that the merger's probe may have "a more direct line" from the higher authority.
The attorney's comments came amid continued criticism of American big tech firms from U.S. President Donald Trump. The business mogul reiterated multiple times that Google was biased against conservatives like himself.
The merger would put Google in a position that could see the search giant challenging one of its tech rivals in a more targeted way, Business Insider reported. Through Fitbit expertise, the company could come out with a product to challenge the Apple Watch.
A spokesperson from the search engine platform acknowledged that mergers were regularly reviewed by the government. However, the spokesperson refrained from providing comments regarding questions on the Fitbit deal in particular.
Even before news of the Fitbit deal came to the public's attention, Google already faced scrutiny after a joint group of state attorneys general came together to launch a probe into the company's potential anticompetitive business practices.
Politicians have also raised concerns about the company's dominance in the U.S. search engine and tech circle. However, it's not just Google that the DOJ and other regulators are magnifying.
Other tech leaders including, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and the likes are also under the mercy of the U.S. government. Attorney General William Barr made it clear on Tuesday that he is looking at wrapping up the antitrust probe by next year.
Barr noted that progress on the big tech investigations has been good and there is a "very ambitious schedule" regarding the competition of the probe. He further warned that aside from antitrust practices, the probe will also delve deep into "other behaviors" from the said companies.
