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Lina Khan Met UK Antitrust Officials Last Week: Reuters

By  |  April 27, 2023

Last week, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan met with other antitrust enforcers, including those from Britain, but no discussions were held regarding mergers. These meetings come amid allegations that the FTC and UK are collaborating to prevent Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, reported Reuters. 

The Competition and Markets Authority in Britain blocked Microsoft’s proposed purchase of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion on Wednesday, citing concerns about potential competition issues in the emerging cloud gaming market.

Read more: Elon Musk Reportedly Asked To Meet With FTC’s Lina Khan But Was Rejected

The FTC official responded to comments made by Bobby Kotick, the CEO of the game-maker, regarding the U.S. agency’s involvement in the planned acquisition and the actions taken by Britain’s CMA.

The FTC has filed a complaint to block the deal, and Microsoft has stated that it intends to contest both regulatory bodies.

Kotick said: “I was surprised to learn that Lina Khan and the head of the CMA had a meeting a week and a half ago in Washington. You know, legally, you’re not supposed to be discussing active litigation. I don’t know that they did.”