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Why did the US Government have no trouble prosecuting Microsoft under antitrust law but doesn’t consider the Comcast/TWC merger to be a similar antitrust violation?

Mark Sterling
Mark Sterling
Research Editor · Jan 8, 2026 · Updated Apr 13, 2026

The US Government *did* have trouble prosecuting Microsoft. They investigated repeatedly throughout the 90's, but they only got a slap on the wrist by the European Union and nothing more than a finger waving by the US DoJ… if anti-trust laws still had any teeth they would have been split into a…

100
Words

1 min
Read Time

#133
of 500 in Society

+39%
vs Category Avg

The Short Answer

The US Government *did* have trouble prosecuting Microsoft. They investigated repeatedly throughout the 90's, but they only got a slap on the wrist by the European Union and nothing more than a finger waving by the US DoJ… if anti-trust laws still had any teeth they would have been split into a couple companies (OS, Office, etc). The issue with Comcast/TWC is that they're effectively operating as a cartel (by not competing with each other now), and it's a discussion about how much future competition the merger actually prevents. We should be discussing nationalizing broadband infrastructure, but I digress.

Analysis

Key Concepts: Government, trouble, prosecuting

This explanation focuses on government, trouble, prosecuting and spans 100 words across 5 sentences. At 39% above the average Society explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.

What This Answer Covers

The explanation opens with: “The US Government *did* have trouble prosecuting Microsoft.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.

How This Compares in Society

Ranked #133 of 500 Society questions by answer depth (top 27%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a simple explanation for why the us government have no trouble prosecuting microsoft under antitrust law but doesn't consider the comcast/twc merger to be a similar antitrust violation?

The US Government *did* have trouble prosecuting Microsoft. They investigated repeatedly throughout the 90's, but they only got a slap on the wrist by the European Union and nothing more than a finger waving by the US DoJ… if anti-trust laws still…

How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Society questions?

This is an above-average answer at 100 words, ranked #133 of 500 Society questions by depth. The key concepts covered are government, trouble, prosecuting.

What approach does this answer take to explain the us government have no trouble prosecuting microsoft unde?

The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 100 words. It is categorized under Society and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.