Facebook Might Finally Be Sued By The US Government Next Week
The political landscape in the US hasn't yet stabilized almost a month after one of the most important elections in its recent history. It is perhaps because of that state of flux that government officials under the current administration are moving quickly to wrap things up while they can. Last month saw Google formally sued for monopolistic business practices and TikTok's fate could very well be decided this Friday. Next week will see yet another high-profile legal drama when the US government slaps Facebook with an antitrust lawsuit of its own.
It seems almost ironic that Facebook would be the last Big Tech company this year to get formally sued considering it was one of the first to get into legal trouble with the US government. Although the Trump administration formally started inquiries and investigations into Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon only last year, Facebook's name has already been dragged into the spotlight right after the previous presidential election. But while those previous issues centered around election interference and privacy, this lawsuit will instead focus on anti-competitive practices.
Reuters sources aren't yet certain on what points the lawsuit will include but it is almost certain that it will involve its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant has been accused of buying up smaller rivals in order to gain monopoly of the market. Facebook argued that it actually helped those become market leaders instead.
Given its already negative reputation in the public's and the government's eyes, Facebook might face an uphill battle to make judges see things from its point of view. It doesn't help its case that, despite the numerous scandals it has been involved in, Facebook remains a powerhouse and influential company, even with the competitors that the social media giant says disproves allegations of monopoly.
According to one source, as many as 40 states will sign the lawsuit that will be filed next week. The FTC is also reportedly considering filing a separate but related complaint with a district or administrative law judge. No date for the FTC's lawsuit has been shared.