Tracker Detail
FTC v. Facebook, Inc.
Name | Type | Government | Date Initiated | Status | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTC v. Facebook, Inc. | Litigation | United States | Dec 9, 2020 | Discovery | Jan 11, 2022 |
Summary
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Facebook on Dec. 9, 2020, alleging that the company is illegally maintaining its personal social networking monopoly through a years-long course of anti-competitive behavior. The suit is the culmination of an investigation led by a coalition of attorneys general that argued Facebook engaged in a systematic strategy to eliminate threats to its monopoly. This behavior, according to the suit, in turn, hurts competition, leaves users with fewer choices for personal social media, and deprives advertisers of the benefits of competition.
Updates
June 28, 2021. In a win for Facebook, Federal Judge James E. Boasberg dismissed the complaint. The ruling left the door open for the FTC to file an amended complaint within thirty days.
August 19, 2021. The FTC filed an amended complaint alleging that Facebook resorted to an illegal “buy-or-bury” scheme to crush competition after its failed attempts at innovation.
January 11, 2022. Federal Judge James E. Boasberg ruled that the narrowed version of the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Facebook can proceed.
