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Title: EU fines Meta $842 million in a Facebook Marketplace antitrust case

Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:41:11 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-fines-me...

The executive arm of the European Union isnΓÇÖt shying away from slapping
major tech companies with hefty fines. The European Commission has fined Meta
Γé¼797.12 million ($842 million) for violating antitrust regulations.

The EC says that by tying Facebook Marketplace to Facebook and ΓÇ£imposing
unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service
providers,ΓÇ¥ Meta ΓÇ£abused its dominant positions" in the social networking
space. Regulators determined that all Facebook users are ΓÇ£regularly
exposedΓÇ¥ to Marketplace, even if they donΓÇÖt want to be. To that end, the
link between the two services gives Meta ΓÇ£a substantial distribution
advantage which competitors cannot match.ΓÇ¥

In addition, the EC found that third-party classified ads services that
advertised on the likes of Facebook and Instagram were subject to unfair
trading conditions. ΓÇ£This allows Meta to use ads-related data generated by
other advertisers for the sole benefit of Facebook Marketplace,ΓÇ¥ regulators
contended.

The fine was determined based on the duration and extent of the infringement,
as well as MetaΓÇÖs revenue. The Commission also told Meta to end the
practice and avoid repeating such conduct or trying something similar.

Meta said it will appeal the ruling. ΓÇ£This decision ignores the realities
of the thriving European market for online classified listing services and
shields large incumbent companies from a new entrant, Facebook Marketplace,
that meets consumer demand in innovative and convenient new ways,ΓÇ¥ it
claimed.

The company is trying to appease European regulators on other fronts. The EC
said in the preliminary findings of an ongoing investigation that Meta
violated the Digital Markets Act with its approach to an ad-free
subscription, as it required EU users to consent to highly targeted
advertising or pay to avoid it. This week, Meta lowered the monthly
subscription fee and said it would offer an advertising option that won't use
as much of a user's data, though this will include some unskippable ads.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-
tech/eu-fines-meta-842-million-in-a-facebook-marketplace-antitrust-case-
154111594.html?src=rss

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