Facebook Owner Meta Asks Relevance of Data Requests in EU Antitrust Probe

Meta Platforms on Wednesday in contrast searches by EU antitrust regulators to a fishing tremendous trawler as they examine the proprietor of Facebook’s knowledge and on-line market.

Meta says it has already handed over greater than 1,000,000 paperwork to the European Commission since its first request in 2019 relating to its Facebook Marketplace, social networking and on-line labeled advertisements.

It has, nevertheless, questioned the need and proportionality of the information requests and the explanations supplied by the EU competitors watchdog. The firm has additionally criticised the company’s use of two,500 search phrases — together with “big question”, “for free” and “not good for us” — to trawl the corporate’s paperwork.

The firm, which faces a EUR 8 million (roughly Rs. 66 crore) each day penalty fee if it doesn’t adjust to the calls for, subsequently took its grievance to the General Court, the EU’s second highest.

“One needs to put together the vague nature of what is under investigation with these extraordinarily wide ranging and general search terms. Once one does that, it is, with respect, obvious what is going on here. This is a classic fishing expedition,” Meta lawyer Daniel Jowell informed the panel of 5 judges.

“Indeed, we would go further. The Commission is operating like a fishing super trawler, hoovering up the whole sea bed – with the intention that it will later see what species of rare fish it finds within its vast nets,” he stated.

The courtroom will rule within the coming months.

The instances are T-451/20 and T-452/20 Meta Platforms Ireland v Commission.

© Thomson Reuters 2022