Facebook's Data Dominance Risks European Antitrust Clampdown
- German Cartel Office opens probe into social network's terms
- Regulator reviews whether company abused its market power
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Facebook Inc.’s control over the private data of millions of users is being probed by Germany’s antitrust agency, foreshadowing a possible new wave of competition investigations across Europe into how the world’s biggest social network leverages its treasure trove of customer information.
Germany’s Federal Cartel said it’s examining whether Facebook abused its possible market dominance by forcing customers to agree to terms allowing the use of their data. The authority said it’s in close contact with regulators including the European Commission and competition authorities of the other European Union nations over the issue.