US authorities to file antitrust lawsuits against Facebook on December 9
More than 40 attorneys general and the US government are preparing to file antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. The tech giant is accused of anticompetitive activities that involve buying and killing competitors in order to consolidate its dominant position in the social media segment. This was reported by The Washington Post, citing its own informed sources.
One of the lawsuits will examine Facebook’s activities related to the purchase of the social network Instagram and the messaging service WhatsApp. The authorities believe that these deals are a prime example of Facebook’s anticompetitive behavior, as they helped the company become the market leader and also deprived users of an alternative.
The report also said that a group of attorneys general, led by New York attorney Letitia James, intend to consider various measures on Facebook, including forcing a partial sale of the business. It is also expected that the authorities will ask the court to oblige Facebook in the future to inform in advance about upcoming deals to buy other companies. State prosecutors are coordinating with the work of the US Federal Trade Commission, which joined the Facebook investigation last year. The corresponding statements of claim within the framework of the upcoming proceedings can be sent to the court today.
Representatives of the parties to the prosecution and Facebook refrain from commenting on this issue.
