While investigating other things, I discovered multiple tech companies engaging in very creepy and opaque cartel-like behavior with a program called "Lantern". They also appeared to be funding reports to justify it.
It's actually not unheard of for tech companies like these to attack their competitors, then to invoke some high minded "concern" like "safety" to try to deflect responsibility from that. In 2021, Google even tried to remove Element, which is practically akin to a web browser for the Matrix Network, from the app store.
There also appeared to be a company called "Thorn" (which is well-known for being fairly problematic) involved.
There are many questions about freedom of expression, proportionality, due process, and so on here as well, particularly as these companies tend to be overly censorious and frivolous.
Also, some of the terms used here are extremely suspicious.
The anti-trust question though is one which keeps getting overlooked, and it's an important one.
The Lantern cartel is not to be confused with the "brand safety" cartel, although they're both problematic in their own ways.
