市場分析

Meta is fined 797 million euros by the EU for engaging in unethical actions that benefited Facebook Marketplace

Amos Simanungkalit · 15 Nov 202430.7K 閱讀

The European Commission announced on Thursday that it has fined Meta Platforms (NASDAQ) €797.72 million ($840.24 million) for alleged unfair practices favoring Facebook Marketplace. This confirms a previous report by Reuters.

According to the Commission, Meta was penalized for violating EU antitrust laws by bundling its classified ads service, Facebook Marketplace, with its primary social networking platform, Facebook. Additionally, the company was cited for imposing restrictive terms on other online classified ad providers.

While Meta plans to appeal the decision, it has stated that it will cooperate with the Commission in the interim, working promptly to develop a solution that addresses the concerns raised.

This action follows a two-year investigation that began when the European Commission first raised the possibility that Meta unfairly linked its Facebook platform with Facebook Marketplace, giving the service an advantage. The Commission formally launched proceedings into Meta’s conduct in June 2021 and, by December 2022, expressed concerns over the potentially anticompetitive nature of Meta’s practices in the classified ads sector.

Facebook introduced Marketplace in 2016, rolling it out in various European markets the following year. The EU’s ruling argues that Meta's integration of Marketplace within Facebook constitutes an illegal "tying" arrangement. In response, Meta claimed that the decision overlooks the fact that users are free to choose whether to access Marketplace, and many opt not to use it.

The Commission suggested that Marketplace’s presence could obstruct the growth of leading online marketplace competitors in the EU; however, Meta contended that there was no clear evidence of harm to these competitors.

Under EU antitrust regulations, companies can face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue for violations.