Washington, D.C. (02/03/2022) – The National Newspaper Publishers Association, a network of African-American newspaper publishers, wrote a letter this week to the Congressional Black Caucus warning that the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S. 2992) would hurt Black-owned small businesses.
While well intentioned, “some of the proposed reforms go too far and could hamper the ability for Black and minority-owned small businesses and publishers to grow and thrive, especially as we navigate this pandemic,” Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., president of the NNPA, wrote in the letter.
The letter was reported on today by the Washington Free Beacon:
Black Publishers Say Dem Antitrust Bill Could Hurt Minority-Owned Businesses
The Washington Free Beacon
By Patrick Hauf
February 3, 2022
A group of African-American publishers says a Democrat-backed antitrust bill could decimate black-owned businesses.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association, a network of African-American newspaper publishers, wrote a letter Tuesday to the Congressional Black Caucus that advocated against Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s (D., Minn.) American Innovation and Choice Online Act. The bill would prevent big tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google from prioritizing their own services in ads and search results. Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., president of the NNPA, notes in the letter, however, the bill could put an end to search tools that allow users to support black-owned businesses.
While the bill is “well-intentioned,” “some of the proposed reforms go too far and could hamper the ability for black and minority-owned small businesses and publishers to grow and thrive, especially as we navigate this pandemic,” Chavis wrote. “The antitrust legislation aimed at curbing tech companies may unintendedly silence the voices of black community news, harming the small businesses we run and the communities we serve.”
Klobuchar’s bill advanced in the Senate Judiciary Committee in January with complete support from Democrats and split support from Republicans….
Read the piece in full here.
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