EU Fines Meta €798 Million for Antitrust Violations

The European Commission has imposed a fine of €798 million on Meta for violating EU antitrust laws by linking its Facebook Marketplace service to its social network, thereby imposing unfair trading conditions on competitors. According to Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, this practice gives Facebook Marketplace an undue advantage that competitors cannot match, as all Facebook users are automatically exposed to the service. Meta has announced plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the EU has not demonstrated any harm to competitors or consumers. This penalty is part of ongoing scrutiny by EU regulators on major tech companies, with Meta's fine being the seventh largest ever for anti-competitive practices. The funds from the fine will not go to the Irish taxpayer but will be allocated to a European fund. The case highlights increasing regulatory pressure on tech giants operating in Europe.