In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), nine privacy and consumer groups asks the US regulator to block the acquisition by Google of Fitbit for US$2.1 billion, due to competition and privacy concerns. Associated Press reports that they argue the deal would consolidate Google's dominance over internet services like search, advertising and smartphone operating systems. This letter states that "this transaction should not be permitted because Google already holds a dominant position in the digital marketplace, health data is critical to the future of that marketplace, and the data protection concerns stemming from the acquisition will have far-reaching consequences including a dramatic erosion of consumer privacy". The nine groups consist of Open Markets Institute, the Center for Digital Democracy, Public Citizen, EPIC, along with Commercial-Free Childhood, Consumer Federation of America, Oakland Privacy, Media Alliance, and Consumer Action.