今天我们要学的词是 stifle.
stifle的意思是压制，令人窒息。 Referring to the possibility that the European Union may hold internet companies responsible for hate speech published on their platforms, Facebook warned that such liability would stifle innovation as well as individuals’ freedom of expression. 针对欧盟可能对网络平台上的仇恨言论向互联网公司问责一事，脸书警告说，这种法律责任将扼杀创新以及个人言论自由。
The Federal Trade Commission recently started to examine past acquisitions by big tech firms that were not reported to the government to determine if these companies have stifled competition. 美国联邦贸易委员会最近开始审查未向政府报告的大型科技公司以往的收购案例，以确定这些公司是否压制竞争。