Another Reason To Quit Facebook: Monopoly Misdeeds

Today we're taking a look at how Facebook users are finding reasons why to quit the Social Network entirely. Per the latest update from the US Government House Antitrust Subcommittee, Facebook wields substantial monopoly powers and maintains power in ways that are anticompetitive or outright nefarious. Part of this latest set of findings, quotes from Mark Zuckerberg appear as veiled threats aimed at the co-founder of Instagram, suggesting that "refusing to enter into a partnership with Facebook, including acquisition, would have consequences for Instagram."

Part of the report released this week, viewed by CNBC this week, suggested that Congress would review a series of potential remedies for Facebook's monopolistic structure. One of these remedies included "structural separation" to split Facebook up, including but not limited to WhatsApp and Instagram.

This latest round of reviews by the House Judiciary subcommitee on antitrust recommended that massive tech companies like Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google (re: Alphabet), should have acquisitions considered anticompetitive by default. Each tech company would need to be extra clear in how their acquisition of a smaller company would be beneficial to the public, and the results could not be achieved in any other fashion.

Facebook was found by the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust to be monopolistic in their dominance of the social networking market. They noted that Facebook maintained their position by acquiring, copying, or killing off competing companies. This is not beneficial to the public in the ways in which a non-monopoly company should be, or legally can be here in the United States.

Instagram users recently found that Facebook Messenger was invading whether they liked it or not. WhatsApp was recently found to be home to several security vulnerabilities, and your phone number may've been one of a large number of phone numbers posted publicly online. There was a major Sharing "issue" on Facebook in July.

Facebook is converting Oculus to a very obviously Facebook-heavy experience. That includes a required Facebook login by default in new devices. Facebook has been more open about their dominance this Summer.

There was another major UI change at Facebook that became mandatory. Companies like Sony (re:PlayStation) began boycotting Facebook earlier this year. Zuckerberg's inaction re: fact-checking sparked the latest round of exits.

NOTE: There's a Facebook photo transfer system that's been expanded just this June. With the system, users can move their photos and videos from Facebook to Google Photos before they leave. If all that wasn't enough, take a peek at the Facebook Messenger Kids expansion that took place after it was revealed Facebook Messenger Kids was... significantly insecure, as it allowed kids to talk to strangers. Or you could check the timeline of links below for more reasons to leave Facebook – we've got a bunch!