1. California sues Amazon for violating antitrust laws
The California Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday (September 14) in San Francisco Superior Court filed a complaint against the world‘s largest retailer, Amazon, for violating the Unfair Competition Act and the Cartwright Act, the California Anti-Corruption Act. Monopoly Law Litigation. Attorney General Rob Bonta said, “Amazon needs to obey the law and conduct business without unlawfully obstructing competition.” Walmart, Target, or eBay, or even the supplier’s own website, offering their products at lower prices. Merchants who do not comply with this policy could face product removal from Amazon and other penalties including suspension or termination of their accounts. The policy, in turn, could hurt the competitiveness of other retailers. At the same time, consumers cannot buy cheaper products. California wants courts to bar Amazon from entering into or enforcing its anticompetitive contracts. Make sure consumers are compensated for the price hikes and order Amazon to “return their ill-gotten gains” and pay fines.
In a statement, Amazon said the California lawsuit was wrong and would be dismissed by the court, similar to the one brought by the attorney general in Washington, D.C. California officials, however, believe that after more than two years of investigations have gathered so much evidence, the court should have come to a different verdict.
2. California approves mental health court for the homeless
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Community Assistance, Rehabilitation and Empowerment Act (CARE Act) in Santa Clara County on Wednesday (September 14). The bill would let family members, first responders and others ask judges to develop treatment plans for Californians diagnosed with serious mental illness. With many mentally ill people living on the streets, the bill also provides housing and other community services. Those who refuse treatment may be forced into custody and ordered to comply. Newsom said, “The bill will also bring real accountability to local governments that fail to comply with court treatment plans. The CARE Act also requires individuals in need of care to participate responsibly in treatment,…”
The American Civil Liberties Union of California, Human Rights Watch, Disability Rights California and many other organizations working with the homeless, minority communities and people with disabilities have strongly opposed the governor’s signing of the law. For many with serious mental illness, the courtroom is a frightening place, they say. They argued that the new plan would violate civil rights and at the same time be cruel to the severely mentally ill. The new law will allow a court-ordered treatment plan of up to a year, which can be extended to two years.
3. Governor signs bill requiring social media companies to disclose policies
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Tuesday (September 13) that would require social media companies to make their content moderation policies public: including policies for removing content that includes hate speech, and detailing how and when it will be removed . In a statement announcing the signing on Tuesday, Newsom said California will not stand idly by as social media becomes a weapon for spreading hate and disinformation that threatens fundamental values. Democratic Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, the bill’s author, said the measure includes some of the world‘s toughest transparency requirements, requiring companies such as Facebook and Instagram to disclose in detail how they remove content such as hate speech, disinformation, extremism, harassment and foreign political interference .
Opponents include the California Chamber of Commerce, the Computer and Communications Industry Association, the Consumer Technology Association, the Internet Alliance, Netchoice and TechNet. Opponents say the bill goes too far, requiring them to disclose to the attorney general “sensitive information about how companies enforce policies, test activities, train employees, and use technology to detect content that requires moderation” and that the bill could be used to punish Legal but unwanted content.