FTC

Facebook is an illegal monopoly, say 46 US states
America’s consumer regulator and more than 40 US states are suing Facebook, alleging the tech giant is illegally maintaining a monopoly through anticompetitive conduct including buying up smaller rivals. The complainants are seeking to have Facebook deals like its acquisition of WhatsApp and Instagram unwound in a move that could

Twitter expects $250m fine from regulators for misuse of user data in targeted ads
Twitter is bracing for a US$250 million fine from US regulators for using the phone numbers provided by its users for security to target them with ads. The social platform disclosed the practice in October last year and claims it was done “inadvertently” but can not say how many users

Facebook settles $5B privacy probe as two more antitrust investigations begin
Facebook has settled a long running privacy investigation with the FTC, agreeing to pay a record US$5 billion fine and upgrade its privacy measures. The Australian privacy watchdog has welcomed settlement but says it will continue its own investigation into the social media giant. The FTC settlement was just one

Facebook’s Privacy Fine will be $US5B: Reports
Facebook will receive a US$5 billion fine from American regulators for its failure to protect users’ privacy. Federal Trade Commissioners voted 3-2 in favour of the settlement with the social media behemoth, to conclude its long-running probe stemming from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, according to people familiar with the matter.

Google reportedly facing US antitrust investigation
The US Justice Department is reportedly setting up an investigation into Google to examine if its businesses have breached antitrust laws. The Wall Street Journal reported the department’s antitrust division has been laying the groundwork for the investigation in recent weeks. The work follows after an agreement with the Federal

Fake Facebook Accounts Surge As Company Braces for Multi-Billion Dollar Fine
Between January and March this year Facebook removed 2.2 billion fake accounts, according to social media giant’s own reporting. The company released the latest figures, vowing to be more transparent as it faces a multi-billion fine and a gathering chatter about a potential break up by American regulators. Nominate today

Facebook sets aside US$3 billion for FTC fine as ad revenue and users continue to grow
Facebook told investors it’s setting aside $3 billion to cover an impending fine from the FTC, to settle an investigation which was opened in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The matter remains unresolved, but the company is estimating the fine will be between $3 billion and $5 billion.

Cover Story: Facebook may learn the hard way that regulators have broken massive technology giants before
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was not even born in early 1982 when the mandated breakup of Bell System began, a move that ultimately slashed the value of the giant and previously unassailable AT&T by 70 percent. He was 15 when Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson found that Microsoft was