Would a Biden Administration Disappoint Foes of Big Tech?

With a little over two months to go until the presidential election and former Vice President Joe Biden leading in most polls, the tech industry has begun to speculate about whether a Democratic victory would significantly alter Silicon Valley’s beleaguered standing in Washington, D.C. Would a Democratic administration adopt a relatively business-friendly tone, or would Biden be responsive to intensifying pressures from within his own party to restrain the influence of big corporations?

Proponents of both approaches have begun jockeying for influence—and possible jobs—should Biden capture the White House. Hoping to build on the enthusiasm generated by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who called for the breakup of big tech companies during their presidential campaigns, the party’s left-leaning activists are pushing tougher antitrust laws and other aggressive measures. While those efforts have worried corporate interests, the business lobby in Washington is betting that a Democratic administration ultimately would stake out the relatively moderate positions that have been the hallmark of Biden’s decadeslong career.