Tech and competition watchdog groups have urged the US Department of Justice to investigate YouTube, citing concerns about its potential to "unfairly" boost Google and Alphabet's dominance in home entertainment. 

In April, Alphabet reported a quarterly ad revenue exceeding $8 billion for YouTube, showing its commitment to its YouTube market presence. 

According to Reuters, groups such as the American Economic Liberties Project, Demand Progress, and nine others penned a letter to Justice Department antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter expressing worry over YouTube's emergence as a competitor to cable and streaming services. 

According to the groups, YouTube's expansion, particularly with its subscription streaming service YouTube TV, raises the specter of Google's increasing dominance in living room entertainment. 

They detailed how the platform's pre-installation advantage on smartphones and TVs sold in the U.S. is a factor contributing to its growing influence. 

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YouTube's Competitiveness

A YouTube spokesperson defended the platform's competitiveness, mentioning its rivalry with streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+ and other video platforms like TikTok. 

The call for an investigation comes amid ongoing antitrust battles Google faces, including allegations of monopolizing the online search and digital advertising technology markets. 

Advocacy groups view YouTube as a crucial element supporting Google's alleged monopoly, drawing parallels to antitrust concerns raised in the search case. 

These antitrust concerns extend across administrations, with cases against tech giants like Google, Facebook's Meta Platforms, Apple, and more.

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