In 2024, American companies were pivotal in shaping the global economy, continuing their dominance across various industries. Tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla maintained their leadership, driving innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and cloud computing. However, their growth also sparked significant controversy.
Apple faced ongoing scrutiny over its App Store fees and antitrust concerns, while Microsoft grappled with regulatory challenges related to its acquisitions, notably the Activision deal. Amazon continued to face criticism over labor practices and worker conditions, especially in its warehouses. Tesla, under Elon Musk’s leadership, found itself under fire for safety concerns related to its Autopilot feature and Musk’s controversial public statements. Meanwhile, Meta’s struggles with privacy violations and content moderation dominated headlines.
These controversies, along with rising demands for sustainability and corporate responsibility, put immense pressure on these firms to adopt more transparent and ethical practices, marking 2024 as a year of reckoning for corporate America.
READ: Google counters antitrust ruling with list of solutions (December 24, 2024)
As the year comes to end, here is a look back on the companies that continued to go through the ringer in 2024:
Apple
App Store fees and Antitrust scrutiny: Apple continues to face legal battles over its App Store commission fees, which some developers claim are unfair and anti-competitive. In 2025, further antitrust challenges could arise, particularly in the European Union and the U.S.
Environmental concerns: Apple has made strides in sustainability, but criticisms about the environmental impact of its supply chain, particularly related to e-waste and rare earth materials, could persist.
Amazon
Labor practices and worker rights: Amazon has long faced scrutiny over its treatment of warehouse workers, with accusations of poor working conditions, low wages, and surveillance. These issues may continue to dominate headlines in 2024, especially with unionization efforts and calls for better working conditions.
Antitrust and market power: As Amazon grows in dominance across e-commerce, cloud computing, and media, it could face continued antitrust investigations into whether it unfairly stifles competition.
Tesla
Autopilot and safety concerns: Tesla’s Autopilot feature has been linked to several accidents, leading to ongoing investigations. In 2024, Tesla faced increased regulatory scrutiny over the safety of its autonomous driving technology.
CEO controversies: Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, is often a polarizing figure. His actions and statements, whether on social media or in business decisions, constantly bring attention and controversy to the company.
Meta (Facebook)
Privacy and data issues: Meta continues to grapple with privacy concerns, particularly over data collection practices on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The company could face new legal challenges in 2025 as governments focus on stricter data protection laws.
Content moderation and misinformation: Meta’s role in combating misinformation, particularly around elections and public health, could lead to further controversy. Its moderation policies and transparency around them remain a point of contention.
READ: Google’s AI chatbot Gemini faces accuracy concerns (December 20, 2024)
Google (Alphabet)
Antitrust allegations: Google remains a target for antitrust lawsuits, especially related to its dominance in online advertising and search. In 2025, Google could face further regulatory actions as governments around the world challenge its market power.
Privacy violations: Google’s handling of user data is under constant scrutiny, and new controversies could emerge if there are violations or failures in its data protection practices.
NVIDIA
Supply chain and geopolitical tensions: As a major supplier of GPUs, particularly to China, NVIDIA is vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, especially regarding trade restrictions or regulatory challenges in China and the U.S.
Ethical AI concerns: As AI technology grows, NVIDIA’s involvement in AI hardware and software raises ethical questions about AI’s impact on jobs, privacy, and security.
Berkshire Hathaway
Leadership transition: With Warren Buffett’s eventual departure from the CEO role, Berkshire Hathaway may face controversies related to its future leadership and how the company handles this transition in 2025.
Environmental impact: Despite its vast investments in various industries, Berkshire Hathaway faces increasing pressure to align with sustainability goals and reduce its environmental footprint.
Microsoft
Acquisitions and antitrust scrutiny: Microsoft’s growth through acquisitions, including its attempted purchase of Activision Blizzard, continues to face antitrust challenges, particularly in the gaming and cloud industries.
Employee treatment: Microsoft has faced some criticisms over employee conditions in its operations and the broader tech sector’s reliance on contract workers in 2024, and this could resurface next year too.
Johnson & Johnson
Talcum powder lawsuits: J&J continues to deal with lawsuits related to its talcum powder products, which have been linked to cancer. In 2024, these legal battles still affected its reputation and financial performance.
Opioid crisis: Johnson & Johnson also faced lawsuits related to its role in the opioid crisis, and new developments in this ongoing issue could create controversy for the company.
READ: Will Meta and Google benefit from banning TikTok? (December 13, 2024)
Exxon Mobil
Environmental and climate concerns: As a major oil and gas player, Exxon Mobil faces significant pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and transition to renewable energy. Any delay or resistance to addressing climate change could lead to public backlash and regulatory scrutiny.
Corporate governance and accountability: Exxon’s handling of corporate governance, including executive pay and transparency, could still be under scrutiny in 2025 as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues gain more focus in the investment community.
These companies, with their massive global presence and diverse industries, have faced a variety of controversies related to their market behavior, environmental impact, labor practices, and regulatory challenges in 2024 and may do so in 2025 as well.