Meta fined €798m over 'unfair' Facebook Marketplace

The EU has fined Meta €798m (£664m) for violating competition law by embedding Facebook Marketplace within its social network, which the European Commission says disadvantaged rival classified ads services.

Meta has been ordered to halt these practices, with EU antitrust head Margrethe Vestager stating that Facebook leveraged its platform to unfairly boost Marketplace over competitors.

Meta, however, disputes the findings, claiming there is no evidence of harm to competitors or consumers, and plans to appeal.

This fine marks Meta’s first EU penalty related to competition, although it has faced other fines, including €110m in 2017 for incorrect information in its WhatsApp acquisition.

This ruling reflects a broader regulatory crackdown on big tech, as authorities worldwide increase scrutiny, with the US also considering action against Google.