According to the preliminary position of the EU competition authorities, the American internet group Meta is in breach of European antitrust rules by distorting competition on Facebook Marketplace.
Specifically, according to a statement on Monday, the European Commission complained that Meta unilaterally imposed unfair trading conditions on competing online advertising services that advertise on Facebook or Instagram.
There is a threat of a billion dollar fine
In addition, Meta links the Facebook Marketplace to its dominant social network, Facebook. Facebook users would automatically have access to the advertising portal “whether they like it or not”.
According to the statement, the Commission believes that Facebook Marketplace has a significant sales advantage that its competitors cannot compensate.
The American group now has the chance to dispel the doubts about its advertising service. If the European Commission nevertheless concludes that there is sufficient evidence of violations, it can impose a fine of up to ten percent of Meta’s worldwide annual turnover.
(dsc/sda/awp/dpa)
Source: Watson
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
