The Wall Street Journal confirmed Thursday that the U.S. Justice Department is, indeed, investigating the pricing of eBooks,
The genesis of the probe dates backs to lingering suspicions about the appropriateness of Apple and its partners in publishing to limit discounting.
“We are also investigating the electronic book industry, along with the European Commission and the states attorneys general,” said Sharis Pozen, the Justice Department’s acting antitrust chief.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the Justice Department has been supposedly investigating the controversial “price fixing” issue since last year.
Meanwhile, The European Union’s antitrust watchdog similarly revealed earlier this week that it was investigating Apple and “five major publishers” for the same issue – specifically, the way that e-books are priced and sold.
According to the WSJ, The EU will investigate whether Apple and the publishing groups “engaged in illegal agreements or practices.”
