Sisak reported from New York. 48 STATES SUE FACEBOOK! Facebook is the world’s biggest social network with 2.7 billion users and a company with a market value of nearly $800 billion whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the world’s fifth-richest individual and the most public face of Big Tech swagger. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. The states' lawsuit against Facebook involves D.C., Guam and every U.S. state except Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and South Dakota — all four of … Cases claim purchases of rivals Instagram and WhatsApp destroyed threats to company, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. In October the Justice Department and attorney generals in 11 states filed antitrust cases against Google. Meanwhile, Attorneys general from 48 states filed their own lawsuits against Facebook, alleging that the lack of competition harmed consumers. The FTC filed its own lawsuit against Facebook in Washington DC federal court on Wednesday. Read more about US govt, 48 states sue Facebook for abusing power to crush smaller rivals on Business Standard. On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission and 48 attorneys general across the nation filed much-anticipated litigation against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of engulfing competitive risks in a way that has enshrined its famous apps so profoundly in the lives of billions of people that competitors can no … The US government has sued Facebook and demanded that it is dismantled for “unfairly” crushing its competition. The separate lawsuits claim that the firm’s purchases, particularly Instagram for $1bn in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 for $19bn, destroyed competition that could have challenged their industry dominance. Amazon and Apple also have been under investigation in Congress and by federal authorities for alleged anticompetitive conduct. At the time, the photo-sharing app had about 30 million users and wasn’t producing any revenue. The antitrust lawsuits were announced by the Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Federal regulators on Wednesday sued to force a breakup of Facebook as 48 states and districts accused the company in … Antitrust Charges Filed Against Facebook— 48 states participate. TWEET. USA TODAY See more videos SHARE. The landmark antitrust lawsuits, announced by the Federal Trade Commission and New York Attorney General Letitia James, mark the second major government offensive this year against seemingly untouchable tech behemoths. trumpettesters Published December 9, 2020 432 Views “The FTC is seeking a permanent injunction in federal court that could, among other things: require divestitures of assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp; prohibit Facebook from imposing anticompetitive conditions on software developers; and require Facebook to seek prior notice and approval for future mergers and acquisitions,” it said in statement. On Wednesday, December 9th, both the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of 48 … Antitrust expert Rebecca Allensworth, a law professor at Vanderbilt University, said it is “hard to win any antitrust lawsuit and this one is not any different.” But as far as antitrust cases go, she added, the government has a strong one. US govt, states sue Facebook for 'predatory' conduct. Facebook paid $1 billion for Instagram, bolstering the social network’s business a month before its stock went public. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. By Nikhila NatarajanNew York, Dec 10 : In A Landmark Anti-trust Action Headlined By Bipartisan Support, The US Federal Government And 48 States Led By The New York Attorney General Have Sued Facebook In Two Separate Lawsuits, Ac Read full article. FTC and States Sue Facebook, Seeking to Force Divestitures of Instagram, WhatsApp. It was filed by a cabinet agency headed by an attorney general seen as a close ally of President Donald Trump, who has often publicly criticized Google. But they are the ones most frequently held up by Facebook critics as properties that should be split off. FTC alleges Facebook has created a social media monopoly, acquiring competitors and imposing anticompetitive requirements on third-party developers. "For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition,” said Ms James. Federal regulators and a group of states launched a landmark antitrust offensive against Facebook, accusing the social network of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors. What to watch next How to extend your cell phone's battery life. "Facebook used vast amounts of money to acquire potential rivals before they could threaten the company’s dominance.". In a landmark anti-trust action headlined by bipartisan support, the US federal government and 48 states led by the New York Attorney General have sued Facebook in two separate lawsuits, accusing it of abusing its market power to “neutralize” competition and going into “destroy mode” against smaller players. NetChoice, a Washington trade association that includes Facebook as a member, quickly panned the lawsuits. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who was on the executive committee of attorneys general conducting the investigation, said the litigation has the potential to alter the communications landscape the way the breakup of AT&T’s local phone service monopoly in the early 1980s did. WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services. “We're reviewing the complaints and will have more to say soon,” the company said on social media. Instagram and WhatsApp are among some 70 companies that Facebook has acquired over the past 15 years. The latest and greatest on big tech takedown. Consequently, this reduced consumer protection against privacy infringements. Said New York Attorney General Letitia James, "It’s really critically important that … Produce list for April 8, 2021, Blueberries, Nectarines, Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, Tomatoes, Cottage Cheese, and Nutrition Bars. What Happened: On Wednesday, the US Government and 48 states sued Facebook and accused the online giant of using its dominant market presence to destroy competitors. 48 U.S.states sue Facebook over anti-competitive practices There has been growing concern in the U.S. over the dominance of Google, Facebook and Amazon and other big tech companies. The Federal Trade Commission and 48 states accused the social media giant of being a monopoly that has illegally eliminated competition by buying up its rivals. Within the first two pages, the 48 states make the case that “Facebook has had monopoly power in the personal social networking market in the US” for more than a decade and “illegally maintains that monopoly power by deploying a buy-or-bury strategy that … "Facebook’s actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition. The latest lawsuit involves 46 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia, wherein they accuse Facebook of anti-competitive conduct and the usage of its market dominance in harvesting consumer data and reap a fortune in advertising revenues. The FTC fined Facebook $5 billion in 2019 for privacy violations and instituted new oversight and restrictions on its business. “Our hope is to restructure the social networking marketplace in the United States, and right now there’s one player,” Stein told reporters. BREAKING!!! Facebook illegally acquired competitors Instagram and WhatsApp in a blatant abuse of its monopoly power, a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the FTC in coordination with 48 state attorneys alleges. AP journalists Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, California, and Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. In a … Dec 9, 2020. WASHINGTON — The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services. The US government and 48 states have filed parallel lawsuits against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of anti-competitive conduct by abusing its market power to create a … The coalition of 48 included the attorneys general from 46 states, plus Washington DC and Guam. US govt, 48 states sue Facebook for abusing market power to ‘crush’ smaller competitors The US government and 48 states have filed parallel lawsuits against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of anti-competitive conduct by abusing its market power to create a monopoly 48 AGs, FTC Sue Facebook, Claiming Unconstitutional Power Grabs. 48 States led by New York. Federal regulators asked for Facebook to be ordered to divest Instagram and WhatsApp as the U.S. government and 48 states and districts accused the company of abusing its market power I have a Facebook account I can’t get into, has all my pictures I want so I can delete Facebook, I opened another factor account to see if I could get my pictures and of course not, and in 2013 someone who said that they were from Facebook, he said that I had to let him into my computer and I gave him a $100 to fix it, I had no idea that Facebook didn’t have a phone number at the time. SHARE. Such integration could make it more difficult to break off the companies. Facebook haters rejoice: the United States government is with you. The US government and 48 states have filed lawsuits against Facebook, accusing it of anti-competitive conduct by abusing its market power to … “These lawsuits mark an important turning point in the battle to rein in Big Tech monopolies and to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement,” said Alex Harman, competition policy advocate for Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. The implication for investors? Users are now able to link accounts and share content across the platforms. FTC, 48 states sue Facebook for antitrust over Instagram and WhatsApp. Last week, the FTC filed a lawsuit against social media platform Facebook for creating an illegal … The US government has sued Facebook and demanded that it is dismantled for “unfairly” crushing its competition. A few years later, Facebook acquired WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging service, for $19 billion. “Years after the FTC cleared our acquisitions, the government now wants a do-over with no regard for the impact that precedent would have on the broader business community or the people who choose our products every day.”. James alleged Facebook had a practice of opening its site to third-party app developers, then abruptly cutting off developers that it saw as a threat. WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services. FTC and 48 States Sue Facebook, Seeking to Force Divestiture of Instagram, WhatsApp 4 months ago Facebook illegally acquired competitors Instagram and WhatsApp in a blatant abuse of its monopoly power, a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the FTC in coordination with 48 state attorneys alleges. Facebook said that the company would review the filings against them. “It’s really critically important that we block this predatory acquisition of companies and that we restore confidence to the market,” said James during a press conference announcing the lawsuit. Facebook called the government actions “revisionist history” that punishes successful businesses and noted that the FTC cleared the Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions years ago. FTC and 48 States and Territories Sue Facebook for Illegal Monopoly. Facebook made the Federal Trade Commission’s naughty list this year. James echoed that in her press conference, saying Facebook “used its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users.”. WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators on Wednesday sued to force a breakup of Facebook as 48 states and districts accused the company in a separate lawsuit of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors. Zuckerberg vowed both companies would be run independently, but over the years the services have become increasingly integrated. “Personal social networking is central to the lives of millions of Americans,” said Ian Conner, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. The antitrust lawsuits filed by the Federal Trade Commission could force spinoffs of Facebook's Instagram and Whatsapp services. The fine was the largest the agency has ever levied on a tech company, although it had no visible impact on Facebook’s business. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. James noted at a press conference that “it’s really critically important that we block this predatory acquisition of companies and that we restore confidence to the market.”, The FTC said Facebook has engaged in a “a systematic strategy” to eliminate its competition, including by purchasing smaller up-and-coming rivals like Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. The Justice Department’s suit against Google, announced just two weeks before Election Day, brought accusations of political motivation from some quarters. “Our aim is to roll back Facebook’s anticompetitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive.”. The Justice Department sued Google in October for abusing its dominance in online search and advertising — the government’s most significant attempt to buttress competition since its historic case against Microsoft two decades ago. S federal regulators have moved to sue Facebook and seek to break up the company claiming its purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services was used to “crush competitors”. Instagram now has more than 1 billion users worldwide. US government sues Facebook and demands it's dismantled for 'unfairly' crushing competition.mp4, US government sues Facebook and demands it's dismantled for 'unfairly' crushing competition, US govt, states bring antitrust action against Facebook, Zuckerberg’s name shouldn’t be on SF hospital, say local politicians, ‘White men are stupid’ was rated on Facebook as bad as racist slurs, Govt accuses Facebook of discriminating against US workers, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, US government sues Facebook and demands it’s dismantled, Booking.com promo: 10% extra with Level 1 Genius membership, Use this Debenhams discount and save up to 70% on men's lines - Spring offer, Exclusive Ideal World promo code: 20% saving on fitness, Receive a £2 AliExpress promo code with the official App, Argos promo: Up to 50% off in the Tu Kid clothing sale. “The government now wants a do-over, sending a chilling warning to American business that no sale is ever final,” Facebook general counsel Jennifer Newstead said in a statement that echoed the company’s response to a recent congressional antitrust probe. The FTC, by contrast, is an independent regulatory agency whose five commissioners currently include three Republicans and two Democrats. The US Federal Trade Commission and the coalition of states are suing Facebook, alleging that the social media giant had illegally impeded the competition by snapping up rivals to protect its monopoly power hold in social networking. He has singled out Facebook’s Zuckerberg for scorn, calling him “a real problem.”. James alleged that Facebook had a practice of making its site open to third-party app developers, then abruptly cuts off developers that it saw as a threat. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and nearly every U.S. is suing Facebook. The US government and 48 states have filed parallel lawsuits against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of anti-competitive conduct by abusing its market power to create a monopoly. New York, Dec 10 (IANS) In a landmark anti-trust action headlined by bipartisan support, the US federal government and 48 states led by the New York Attorney General have sued Facebook in two separate lawsuits, accusing it of abusing its market power to neutralize competition and going into destroy mode against smaller players. Published December 9, 2020 12:42 pm U.S. gov’t, 48 states sue Facebook, seek to break up the social media giant WASHINGTON, DC — Federal regulators on … (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. FILE- In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, New York State Attorney General Letitia James takes a question at a news conference in New York. EMAIL. By Nikhila Natarajan. The case for antitrust enforcement against Facebook “has never been weaker,” NetChoice vice president Carl Szabo said in a statement, pointing to newer social services such as TikTok and Snapchat as rivals that could “overtake” older platforms. If the suits are successful it could lead to the first court-ordered break-up of a US company in years. James said the coalition worked collaboratively with the FTC but noted the attorneys general conducted their investigation separately. ... Darout rates TARA a Buy and has a $48 price target for the shares. The antitrust legal action was announced by New York attorney general Letitia James. This will be a Drive-Thru Starting at 2:30 Mid-Atlantic States Career & Education Center, Inc. (MASCEC) Todd Spangler. US govt, 48 states sue Facebook for abusing market power to ‘crush’ smaller competitors. FTC and States Sue Facebook, Seeking to Force Divestitures of Instagram, WhatsApp. With the purchases Facebook, which is now valued at more than $800bn, controlled three of the most popular social media and messaging apps. 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