Judge Denies Class Status in Antitrust Case Against Meta

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has successfully avoided a major legal challenge after a federal judge ruled against granting class-action status to plaintiffs accusing the company of monopolizing the social media market. According to Bloomberg, the plaintiffs argued that Meta had deceptively used their personal data to dominate personal social networking services.

In a decision issued on January 24, Judge James Donato of the US District Court for the Northern District of California found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate antitrust injury, a critical element for pursuing their case. Additionally, the court excluded the testimony of Nicholas Economides, an economist who served as the plaintiffs’ expert witness.

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The lawsuit, which dates back to 2020, is one of several legal battles Meta has faced in recent years over alleged antitrust violations. Per Bloomberg, these cases have involved both private plaintiffs and federal regulators, reflecting heightened scrutiny of Meta’s market practices since its rebranding from Facebook.

Despite the setback for the plaintiffs, the broader legal and regulatory focus on Meta and other tech giants continues. Antitrust suits have become increasingly common as lawmakers and private entities seek to address concerns over the concentration of power in the tech industry.

Source: Bloomberg