A federal judge on Monday dismissed a major antitrust lawsuit brought by federal and state regulators against social networking giant Facebook.
In a 53-page opinion filed with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Judge James Boasberg ruled that the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general had failed to show that Facebook illegally stifled competitors in the personal social networking services market.
“Although the Court does not agree with all of Facebook’s contentions here, it ultimately concurs that the [FTC’s] complaint is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed,” Boasberg wrote.
The FTC argued in the suit, filed in December, that Facebook’s share of at least 60% of the online personal networking marketing constitutes a violation of the Sherman Act. It also contended Facebook’s refusal to permit interoperability with competing apps is an antitrust violation.
Boasberg, however, disagreed, calling the market share number “vague” and unsupported by the evidence provided by the FTC.
He also tossed out a separate suit filed by attorneys general, led by New York’s Letitia James, claiming Facebook violated antitrust laws with its acquisitions of WhatsApp in 2014 and Instagram in 2012.
Boasberg agreed with tech giant’s argument that the suit was filed too late to apply to those transactions.
“We are pleased that today’s decisions recognize the defects in the government complaints against Facebook,” the company said in a statement issued to CNBC. “We compete fairly every day to earn people’s time and attention and will continue to deliver great products for the people and businesses that use our services.”
Boasberg noted, however, the FTC may be able to strengthen its case through an amended complaint and thus continue the litigation.
Facebook stock gained 4.18% and its market value rose above $1 trillion after the ruling.
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The more pressing issue is their continual censorship of Conservative speech. The real danger lies in their ongoing monitoring of what they allow to be published on their site—and this is true of Social Media as a whole.
IMO if this anti-trust suit went through, you can BET THAT point would have came up.
What is it about the word MONOPOLY these individual, bought and paid for, Judges do not understand? How is it that your personal privacy is impugned and your ability to debate is controlled by high tech companies with a political agenda, like Google and Facebook who can cut off your voice of dissent, track your every move on your cell phone, track your every Amazon merchandise inquiry that causes tons of subsequent adds to pop up on your laptop which is supposed to be personal, and even crop and select your own personal photos without your permission. They send you suggestions of merchandise to purchase just like they direct you to political points of view they can use to influence your sacred right to vote, and even invade and examine your personal bank accounts. This is way too much power placed into the hands of businessmen who used to be satiated with controlling and growing their company bottom lines, but now have expanded into controlling your minds, your wallets and your personal movements about the country? The potential for evil is too great not to be controlled or this land of personal freedoms will degenerate into a land of the privileged politicians, and the financial high-tech interests allowed way too much profits and power to buy them. Whatever is created by men can be destroyed by men when moral integrity is traded for power and profit, which history is replete in the lessons of. Leash them now or it’s bye bye miss American pie.
ALL of it. Just like the left doesn’t seem to understand ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE CRIMINALS.. Thus shouldn’t be GETTING RIGHTS reserved for US Citizens!