Forty - seven state attorneys oecumenical have now joined a sweeping investigation into Facebook ’s business practices aimed at learn whether the company has enlist in anti - free-enterprise demeanor , brush off privacy laws , or violated any other police force , according to the New York Attorney General ’s office .
In a assertion on Tuesday , Letitia James , the Democratic lawyer general of New York , allege in astatementthat detective would apply every tool at their disposition “ to find whether Facebook ’s actions stifled competition and put user at risk . ” The officials also aim to find out whether Facebook has “ reduced the quality of consumers ’ choices ” and “ increase the cost of advertising . ”
“ When competition is block up , innovation can be stifle and consumer are harmed . Facebook , like every other company , must comply with our antimonopoly laws , and this investigation is looking into whether it has , ” said Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul , adding : “ No one is above the law . ”
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg eats some food that was waiting for him in his vehicle after leaving a meeting with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in his office on Capitol Hill on 1 December 2024 in Washington, DC.Photo: Samuel Corum / Getty
The probe is the in style sign of a growing bipartizan unease with the immense sway a pocket-size number of tech companies hold over the digital economy . Google ’s market ability is besides being inspect by attorneys general infour dozen State . And the U.S. Justice Department , reflecting concerns that “ Big Tech ” is step its control to stifle competition in markets , announced abroad antitrust reviewof Facebook , Google , Amazon , and Apple this summertime .
Anti - monopolists such as Senator Elizabeth Warren , a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate , have repeatedly call for Facebook to be broken up this year , indicate that the party , which consumes an estimated83 percentof the social ad grocery , represents an unprecedented concentration of power over marketing , lecture , and idea . And even though kick downstairs up Facebook seems highly unlikely , the opinion — endorsed by Facebook co - beginner Chris Hughes in a nearly6,000 - countersign essayfor the New York Times this May — is propelling ongoing argumentation over whether the caller ’s ascendancy is as dangerous to democracy as it is to consumer choice .
For the state police enforcement officials excavate into the society ’s practices , however , the question is n’t only whether Facebook is or is not a monopoly , but instead whether it ’s abusing its control to maintain one .
“ Social media is a critical part of doing business in today ’s economy , ” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said . “ Any effort by Facebook to unlawfully suffocate competition could cause wide - ranging impairment to modest companies , restrict consumer choice , and increase price for all . ”
Facebook did not respond to a request for input .
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