The European Commission has fined Meta, the parent company of Facebook, €797.72 million ($841 million) for violating EU antitrust laws.
According to the commission, Meta unfairly promoted its online classified ads platform, Facebook Marketplace, by integrating it directly with the main Facebook app.
The commission also accused Meta of imposing “unfair trading conditions” on other online classified ad providers.
Facebook’s main platform includes automatic access to Facebook Marketplace, allowing users to buy and sell items without needing a separate registration. This integration gives Marketplace a significant competitive edge over other classified ad services.
The EU stated that this automatic inclusion limits the competitiveness of other online classified ad platforms, as they lack the same extensive user base.
The investigation also revealed that Meta leveraged data from ads run by other online ad companies on Facebook and Instagram solely to benefit Facebook Marketplace. This practice provided Marketplace with an additional advantage, further hindering competitors’ ability to compete.
In addition to the fine, the European Commission has mandated that Meta cease these practices immediately and refrain from engaging in similar conduct in the future.
