Antitrust

The purpose of Antitrust laws is to ensure fair competition between businesses and to protect consumers from unfair and anti-competitive practices by large corporations. These laws are intended to encourage businesses to compete on the merits of price, quality, and innovation rather than engaging in practices that could limit competition.

Antitrust typically prohibits agreements between competitors that could result in higher prices for consumers, such as agreements to fix prices, limit output, or divide markets. Antitrust also prohibits companies from engaging in practices that could limit competition, such as monopolization or engaging in predatory pricing.

In the United States, the federal government and each state have their own antitrust laws. The enforcement of these laws is primarily overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). These agencies are responsible for investigating antitrust violations, pursuing civil penalties, and bringing criminal cases when necessary.

In summary, Antitrust is a set of laws and regulations designed to promote competitive markets, prevent practices that reduce competition, and protect consumers from unfair and anti-competitive practices by large corporations. Antitrust is also known as competition law, and is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.