Apple Finds Itself Under Scrutiny in Washington’s Big Tech Clampdown

U.S. lawmakers in both parties are expressing concern with how Apple Inc. AAPL -0.94% runs its App Store, leaving the company playing defense against legislation that would loosen its grip on the profitable business.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 20-2 this month to advance legislation that could erode the fees Apple collects on digital app revenues. The vote came despite calls to senators by Chief Executive Tim Cook, and the company’s warnings that the bill would hurt user privacy and security.

The bill is backed by a loose alliance of Apple’s rivals, including Epic Games Inc. and Microsoft Corp. It also offers a middle ground for lawmakers who want to rein in Big Tech but can’t reach consensus on thorny issues such as how to regulate social media content.

That Senate leaders have Apple in their sights is a marked change from Congress’s focus on other tech issues such as Amazon.com Inc.’s treatment of retailers, control of the ad business by Alphabet Inc.’s Google and how Meta Platforms Inc. manages content that could be harmful on Facebook and Instagram.