Manufacturers Can Share Y2K Computer Bug Info, U.S. Rules

The Justice Department told manufacturers Friday that they can share information on resolving year 2000 computer issues without running afoul of antitrust laws.

The National Assn. of Manufacturers had sought approval of a plan to let its 14,000 member companies and their computer services suppliers exchange data on fixing the computer date problem.

The Justice Department approved a similar plan for the financial services industry last month.

Many older computers and software allocate just two digits for the year in recording dates. When the clock rolls over at midnight on Dec. 31, 1999, many computers are likely to read the year as 1900 and fail unless repairs are made.

The manufacturers association, whose members produce more than 80% of the manufactured goods in the United States, plans to build a Web site with a directory of companies and their year 2000, or Y2K, information.

Joel Klein, chief of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, said the department would be concerned if the agreement led to exchanges of price or other competitively sensitive information.

But Klein said information exchanges limited to identifying or remedying year 2000 conversion problems actually could be pro-competitive and increase output by reducing redundant efforts.