EU Pressed Meta to Address Antitrust Concerns Over Facebook Marketplace

Meta Platforms faced mounting pressure from the European Union (EU) to resolve antitrust issues surrounding its Facebook Marketplace platform.

According to a decision made public on Wednesday, EU competition regulators had recommended that Meta either create a distinct version of Facebook Marketplace or provide users with a way to access competing classified ad services. This proposal followed the company’s imposition of a €798 million ($861 million) fine for violating EU competition rules.

The confidential decision, initially made in November, also emphasized that Meta should refrain from using non-public data from rival classified ads to enhance its own Marketplace offerings. The regulator’s aim was to foster fair competition in the digital marketplace, ensuring that Meta did not gain an unfair advantage over its competitors by exploiting their proprietary information, per Bloomberg.

Related: FTC Targets Meta’s Market Power, Calls Zuckerberg to Testify

While Meta appealed the fine, the company also took steps to cooperate with EU regulators. In February, Meta announced plans to allow European classified ad firms to pay for the privilege of listing their products on Facebook Marketplace. A spokesperson for the company referred to a blog post outlining further changes designed to address the concerns raised by Brussels.

Although the EU’s suggested remedies were not binding, they provided a glimpse into the regulatory body’s stance on how the alleged antitrust issues could be resolved. These recommendations were not disclosed in earlier EU communications, according to Bloomberg.

Source: Bloomberg