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| Facebook may face new antitrust measures |
The Washington Post quoted four people with knowledge of the matter on Friday that Facebook may undergo a federal antitrust investigation as soon as possible before November.
The newspaper reported that the Federal Trade Commission held a special meeting Thursday to discuss the next steps in the investigation.
These developments generally indicate that the work of the Federal Trade Commission is nearing an end.
After the Justice Department accused Google of violating antitrust laws in a lawsuit filed earlier this week, a federal lawsuit against the social media giant could spark another legal battle between Washington and Silicon Valley.
Prosecutors, led by Letitia James, are investigating the company for potential competition threats.
The newspaper said that the timetable may change, adding that prosecutors are in the final stages of preparing the complaint.
In August, Facebook said, “The Federal Government’s Trade Commission interviewed CEO Mark Zuckerberg during an investigation meeting into the government's antitrust investigation at the company.
Facebook has been the subject of similar investigations by the Justice Department and prosecutors. He previously said that this research relates to acquisitions and past business practices affecting social media or social media services, digital advertising, and mobile or online applications.
In July 2019, Facebook agreed to pay a record $ 5 billion fine to end another FTC investigation into the company's privacy practices.
Previously, and under criticism from members of the House of Representatives, Facebook strongly defended its business practices, and Facebook indicated that it faces competition from various services.
"At the time of the acquisition, there was a strong competitive landscape that is already in place today," company spokesman Chris Sjrow said in a statement earlier this month.
The Federal Trade Commission meeting took place days after the US government filed a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Google.