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What a great day for the future of the internet.
— Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) December 9, 2020
“Facebook bought Instagram and WhatsApp because they were competitive threats”. Um, yes? You knew that in 2010.
— Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) December 9, 2020
Comment from Facebook GC Jennifer Newstead:
— rat king (@MikeIsaac) December 9, 2020
"This is revisionist history. Antitrust laws exist to protect consumers and promote innovation, not to punish successful businesses." pic.twitter.com/zAAH3JYYQD
It wasn’t just Jon Stewart.
— Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp) December 9, 2020
Most people thought Facebook was overpaying for Instagram at a $1 billion purchase price.
And after an investigation, the FTC voted unanimously to clear the acquisition. pic.twitter.com/k7kPSwzu8L
Facebook General Counsel coming out strong in a more fulsome response, linked below:
— rat king (@MikeIsaac) December 9, 2020
"No American antitrust enforcer has ever brought a case like this before, and for good reason."https://t.co/qWnO8TljfE
Also, that’s now 2 of the 4 tech giants facing repercussions from congress’ antitrust investigation…Apple and Amazon must be feeling the heat ?
— Riles ?♂️ (@rileytestut) December 9, 2020
Encouraging that @FTC @Facebook #antitrust complaint explicitly cites “privacy protections” as a competitive consideration (not just price).
— ashkan soltani (@ashk4n) December 9, 2020
PDF of complaint: https://t.co/XQ9srJu8US pic.twitter.com/q6AJTjv0ML
So Comcast and AT&T are up next, right? https://t.co/2fT5elNEs8
— Karl Bode (@KarlBode) December 9, 2020
Fantastic! Have been discussing the need for antitrust to address social/media monopolies for a while now; very thankful to have such a brilliant AG in @TishJames #facebook https://t.co/Q7eeOO2F1N pic.twitter.com/L3DKzgtdqh
— Maya Contreras (@mayatcontreras) December 9, 2020
Breaking up Facebook is good, but what would be better is forcing all social networks to provide an open API so their social graphs are portable to new startups, that would really be the dagger in facebooks heart https://t.co/HeZt8rBhL4
— Leigh Drogen (@LDrogen) December 9, 2020
Not exactly sure Instagram users view this as a positive, to be honest: "The Instagram you see today is the Instagram that Facebook built, not the app it acquired." https://t.co/rNA8LYtcMh
— Jack Morse (@jmorse_) December 9, 2020
Very proud of the Facebook antitrust complaint drafted by my former colleagues at the New York State @NewYorkStateAG -- it obviously took extraordinary amounts of work. Who said the States don't matter? Have a read: https://t.co/qWmxchz8EW
— Tim Wu (@superwuster) December 10, 2020
Facebook is pissed https://t.co/7zSQIxmrn9
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) December 9, 2020
FB produces lots of clicks and ad revenue, so media execs saw those booming video numbers and laid off journalists and researchers to "pivot to video." Turned out it was fake, though. Some ended up even worse off financially. So guess what? More layoffs https://t.co/8viwwml1kP
— Will Doran (@will_doran) December 9, 2020
I applaud this effort to end Facebook’s monopoly. Their greed knows no bounds, and they’ve used their power to try and control too much of political and economic life all over the world. The only thing that will stop Facebook is to say “enough is enough” and break it up. https://t.co/lRaqvNwj3T
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 10, 2020
Spare us this feigned pearl clutching. Facebook has had “no regard” for its impact on society or democracy. Maybe try being a less shitty company ?♂️
— Christopher Wylie ?️? (@chrisinsilico) December 9, 2020
Facebook has used its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) December 9, 2020
Instead of improving its own product, Facebook took advantage of consumers and made billions of dollars converting their personal data into a cash cow.
Its unmatched position has provided FB with staggering profits. Last year alone, FB generated revenues of more than $70B and profits of more than $18.5B, according to the complaint 5/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
“Instagram and Facebook are the storefront,” says @WhatsApp Chief Operating Officer Matt Idema. “WhatsApp is the cash register.”
— Rich Opara (@ripplo) December 9, 2020
https://t.co/1QcdP0A5PI
The is the angriest and most emotional tweet I’ve seen Facebook post https://t.co/7zSQIxmrn9
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) December 9, 2020
Why anyone thinks this is going to solve the problem is beyond me. BTW, what is the problem they are trying to solve? https://t.co/q1L3PFM3dB
— Guy Kawasaki (@GuyKawasaki) December 10, 2020
This is so dumb. The DoJ approved both of these mergers and Instagram had 13 employees when it was acquired. https://t.co/1vYUPbYGvk
— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 9, 2020
Facebook's response to why the FTC is wrong to bring its lawsuit champions innovation, except in the specific area of antitrust law where things are apparently immutable. https://t.co/0GU7CRK8zT pic.twitter.com/YNCIHVQqxg
— Myles Udland (@MylesUdland) December 9, 2020
Honestly, I’m not some anti-regulation zealot but this sort of action, nearly a decade after one of the acquisitions, should freak every company out. Don’t be too successful with someone you buy or else you’ll get sued.
— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 9, 2020
I sure would not mind knowing what has been redacted on page 6 of this complaint! pic.twitter.com/mCbzlyLAuV
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
Today’s suit should send a clear message to Facebook and every other company:
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) December 9, 2020
Efforts to stifle competition, reduce innovation, or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of almost every attorney general's office in the nation.
Commercial incentive to move to E2EE? “For Facebook, a company that makes 99% of its revenue from advertising, @WhatsApp presents a chance to diversify its business and protect itself from erosion in enthusiasm for its core social networking apps...WhatsApp is the cash register.” https://t.co/Fumugdeqhf
— Julie Inman Grant (@tweetinjules) December 9, 2020
I wrote a long essay in the summer on the logic of breaking up Facebook and Google. The short version: it would make advertising more competitive (and hence be bad for privacy!) but have much less impact on competition in search or social. https://t.co/lHz0zrMoQc
— Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) December 9, 2020
Thank you @TishJames and @chopraftc for your fearless leadership on behalf of the public. It's time to take on Big Tech in a meaningful way that protects the vulnerable. https://t.co/3BagXkoW6Z
— Safiya Umoja Noble PhD (@safiyanoble) December 9, 2020
Facebook sells ads that are shown to users based on highly personal data it collects and analyzes. The tech giant makes more money if it can monopolize user attention.
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
The more time users spend on @Facebook, the more data the company can collect and the more ads it can sell.
HUGE. Did not expect the call for Breakup. This is going to be a hell of a war in court. https://t.co/t5FlFfLFYJ
— CeciliaKang (@ceciliakang) December 9, 2020
The FTC and 48 states now recognize what I've been arguing for a long time: Facebook's power snuffs out competition and the Instagram and WhatsApp purchases should be unwound. There's more work to do, but this is a big step in the fight to #BreakUpBigTech. https://t.co/BFqJSyYByw
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 9, 2020
Today, I voted to sue @Facebook for illegal monopolization. The lawsuits filed by @FTC and 48 AGs allege that Facebook bought or buried competitive threats.
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
Our complaints seek all relief necessary to remedy the harm, including breaking up the company. https://t.co/Ui7powmi3r
Sure, but that's a much bigger hill legally - Apple can make the case that iOS and the App Store are inseparable in a way that Facebook can't really do with Instagram or WhatsApp.
— Michael Love (@elkmovie) December 9, 2020
Apple listed first among "world-class competitors" in Facebook's response to FTC https://t.co/jD5u3mLZam pic.twitter.com/1obKCjfAJE
— kif (@kifleswing) December 10, 2020
This has no impact on the WhatsApp/Instagram issue, which seems to be a much cleaner complaint where the solutions have fewer trade-offs, but the FTC should be consistent about whether it's unfair to allow or not allow API access to competitors who pose a privacy risk.
— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) December 9, 2020
FB allegedly has made key APIs available to third-party applications only on the condition that they refrain from developing competing functionalities, and from connecting with or promoting other social networking services 9/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
New York attorney general Letitia James is announcing that 48 U.S. states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook. “For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition” she said in opening remarks. $FB
— Alex Heath (@alexeheath) December 9, 2020
Facebook has crushed competition by breaking the law.
— Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) December 9, 2020
Big Tech’s reckoning has just begun. https://t.co/GzgSundlKz
#BREAKING: @FTC today sued Facebook (FB), alleging that the company is illegally maintaining its personal social networking monopoly through a years-long course of anticompetitive conduct: https://t.co/8ouOSM5De8 1/12 pic.twitter.com/7nvpNGnltb
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
and of course here comes Josh Hawley, who has literally never said a single negative word about America's telecom monopolies, now just super-authentically concerned about monopolies and competition issueshttps://t.co/1kEnXhJnBY
— Karl Bode (@KarlBode) December 9, 2020
remember when this company launched a "privacy protecting VPN" that was basically just spyware tracking users' online behavior?
— Karl Bode (@KarlBode) December 9, 2020
good timeshttps://t.co/XQFfmt4lQE
It won’t be. They divided the cases. DOJ is focused on Apple and Google. I highly doubt this will change on FB, they’ll let FTC run with it assuming it files tomorrow.
— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 9, 2020
It is being led by a Democrat AG but conservatives should get behind this. Facebook has bent over backwards to support Democrats and yet Republicans have defended them. F**k them. They reap what they have sown. https://t.co/Qjm3IdoJm9
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) December 10, 2020
Instead of "bringing people together," Facebook has torn societies apart.
— Gabriel Weinberg (@yegg) December 9, 2020
It's a privacy nightmare: Internet surveillance + anti-competitive acquisitions/tactics = filter bubbles, discrimination, polarization, etc.
Facebook was never going to fix itself.https://t.co/d34LNP49lH
WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart says private messaging has grown so much in recent years it basically replaced actual talking in a lot of instances. Here’s an embarrassing story he tells to get the point across... pic.twitter.com/SvgqNpux7V
— Kurt Wagner (@KurtWagner8) December 9, 2020
I wrote about Facebook's mad rush to integrate all of its acquisitions, and why it was designed to make it difficult for the government to rip them apart earlier this year ? https://t.co/08JRgV1com
— Owen Williams ⚡ (@ow) December 9, 2020
Facebook explains why it thinks the FTC’s lawsuit is bullshit https://t.co/KJoRXVKGfq
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) December 9, 2020
Something that should be lost in the noise. The 48 AGs, who did not clear the acquisitions, are also seeking a breakup: https://t.co/b8a8ZYQZfQ pic.twitter.com/9s2IYLFcjz
— Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) December 9, 2020
This isn’t the detail that anyone is going to focus on, but in this release Facebook is listing The New York Times as… a platform? https://t.co/oN9XOSRx1I
— Robin Berjon (@robinberjon) December 9, 2020
The largest trade-off with breaking off Instagram would probably be around safety and security issues, which could be mitigated by the new IG Inc. continuing to get backend services from FB while having product, policy and financial independence. Breaking off WhatsApp is easy.
— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) December 9, 2020
FTC is seeking a perm. injunction in court that could, among other things: req FB to divest assets, incl Instagram & WhatsApp; prohibit FB from imposing anticompetitive conditions on software developers & req. FB to seek prior notice/approval for future mergers/acquisitions 3/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
3/ well that just got very real very fast .. didn't it.. https://t.co/DNzuHodhGU
— Dez Blanchfield - 21 days to 2021 (@dez_blanchfield) December 9, 2020
I heard the head of a major European competition agency explain this EXACT trade off at the beginning of the year - the competition authority says ‘allow unrestricted data access’ and the privacy regulator says ‘you’re going to prison if you do that’ https://t.co/KiUeoTXuY5
— Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) December 9, 2020
Can't wait till the AGs of South Dakota and South Carolina explain why they opted not to be part of the entire United States in this action.
— Ed Bott (@edbott) December 9, 2020
Well, I guess I just answered my own question w/ regard to SC. https://t.co/fnJjKmzr1N
It's no coincidence that Facebook has been falling over itself to integrate Messenger/Instagram deeply all of a sudden—a literal race to make it as hard as possible to unbundle the products into independent companies again pic.twitter.com/xLbejEVBLp
— Owen Williams ⚡ (@ow) December 9, 2020
FB advises employees to stop saying they should destroy competitors and do land grabs over email https://t.co/M5t3zetlMA
— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) December 10, 2020
Unwinding Instagram and Whatsapp would strip Facebook of around 3 billion monthly active users. It would also render them effectively irrelevant with Gen Z and seriously cripple their international reach. https://t.co/aK46I75uzu
— Ryan Broderick (@broderick) December 9, 2020
Reports that this Facebook investigation would be significant and bipartisan, including most of the states, first came out after this meeting last year in NYC. I don’t think FB’s cover-ups did anything to slow them down. https://t.co/j5J5jiX3fm
— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 9, 2020
Some employees have posted news clips and articles about the antitrust suit, but there are few engagements from their colleagues on Facebook's internal message board, Workplace.
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) December 9, 2020
Because @Facebook has been allowed to amass enough power to avoid consequences, they regularly:
— ColorOfChange (@ColorOfChange) December 9, 2020
* Buy and force out their competitors
* Allow misinformation to spread virtually unchecked
* Enable white supremacists to organize online
* Mistreat Black employees https://t.co/g5Nq3VAoGj
Hello, I would like someone to make Facebook pay for lying to news orgs about video analytics and actively causing the decimation of countless newsrooms and outlets. https://t.co/c3Ns9N5b1c
— April Wolfe (@AWolfeful) December 9, 2020
I mean don't get me wrong, I'm glad the government is reining in Facebook's anti-competitive behavior, but this thing we do where we pretend U.S. antitrust enforcement is tough or at all consistent is adorable
— Karl Bode (@KarlBode) December 9, 2020
lmao why did Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama not sue Facebook https://t.co/3uPdoZghR6
— Walter Hickey (@WaltHickey) December 9, 2020
Facebook not taking as big of a hit (at least as of this tweet) on Wall Street as one would think after the government is suing it for being an illegal monopoly.
— Josh Sternberg (@joshsternberg) December 9, 2020
States attorneys general moving to break up @facebook is long overdue. Facebook owns its top competitors. The result is conservatives get censored on major platforms and there’s no incentive for one of them to take a #freespeech approach.https://t.co/8q4cLJO1Zk
— Brent Bozell (@BrentBozell) December 9, 2020
Facebook's blue app has lost users and engagement to Instagram, according to the FTC's lawsuit pic.twitter.com/PFNjObXok6
— Sal Rodriguez ? (@sal19) December 9, 2020
Tim Cook, in an unrelated podcast today, mentioned a "lack of responsbility" from Big Tech outside of Apple. This makes sense given It's easy for Apple to take the high road given they aren't reliant on advertising.
— Gene Munster (@munster_gene) December 10, 2020
Every antitrust case has to define its market, and the FTC argues that “social advertising” is a defined market and that Facebook has a monopoly over it. Expect Facebook to argue that it’s just one part of a much larger advertising market. pic.twitter.com/xMNVORTEOJ
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
Guess the Zuck's not so big on freedom of speech after all, huh? https://t.co/JggrBUgJqC
— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) December 10, 2020
Wowww the FTC calls for the Facebook and Instagram acquisitions to be unwound. pic.twitter.com/lpslx7nWti
— Sarah Frier (@sarahfrier) December 9, 2020
Breaking up Facebook is finally on the cards. But will this just end in a mish-mash compromise where nothing really changes? How much would breaking it up at this stage actually inconvenience consumers? https://t.co/V1iTrl6SdY
— Martin SFP Bryant (@MartinSFP) December 9, 2020
Of course we don't know how this case will play out, but just seeing the FTC call for Facebook to potentially unwind Instagram and Whatsapp acquisitions feels like a real shift in how high the stakes are in tech regulation right now. https://t.co/Ml4hmixqPV
— Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) December 9, 2020
In short, it seems far from clear that a break up would benefit consumers and it certainly wouldn't solve any of the other tech policy problems and might even make them worse
— Jennifer Huddleston (@jrhuddles) December 9, 2020
This is good. Facebook deserves it. But the purchase of WhatsApp & Insta are sort of the tip of the iceberg. FB's data harvesting biz model is the core of their anti-competitive behavior, and some of the lawmakers cheering this on have blocked meaningful privacy leg for years https://t.co/P2jiaQrxmh
— Evan Greer (@evan_greer) December 9, 2020
Instagram is spun off, Systrom returns, Reels is deleted from interface, old app icon returns. This is a future I could live with. https://t.co/SjMkADF8cf
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) December 9, 2020
NEWS: We’re suing Facebook for violating federal antitrust laws by purchasing actual and potential competitors to maintain a monopoly.
— Attorney General Becerra (@AGBecerra) December 9, 2020
Innovation depends on a fair and competitive marketplace.
But rather than outcompete or outperform, Facebook simply bought the competition. pic.twitter.com/R4XvwQy9KL
plz don’t tweet about it!!! https://t.co/OAtOk4VIeC
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) December 10, 2020
Break up Facebook now.https://t.co/yAGACTuwf0
— Gravel Institute (@GravelInstitute) December 9, 2020
I have today off, but if you want to know how the antitrust lawsuits are being talked about inside Facebook, they're not. Execs have yet to make an internal statement to the whole company about it.https://t.co/iBVKNmkh0G
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) December 9, 2020
This would definitely hit Facebook where it hurts. I'm impressed with the initiative. https://t.co/eQLx60HIs5
— Jeff Atwood (@codinghorror) December 9, 2020
Good.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 9, 2020
Facebook is absolutely an out-of-control monopoly - one that has abused its market power to squash competition, manipulate democracies, and crush journalism.
Thank you @TishJames for leading the way.
(Maybe when Instagram spins off they can change the bottom tabs back?) https://t.co/kBhFrcHEfE
“The FTC is seeking a permanent injunction in federal court that could, among other things: require divestitures of assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp; () and require Facebook to seek prior notice and approval for future mergers and acquisitions.”
— Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) December 9, 2020
????Mark Zuckerberg's letter to employees: "Today's news is one step in a process which could take years to play out in its entirety. In the meantime, you shouldn't be communicating about these cases or related issues except with our legal team."
— CeciliaKang (@ceciliakang) December 10, 2020
The FTC’s complaint that there is no real competition in this market is 53 pages long and does not once mention the word “TikTok.”
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
TikTok has 800 million users worldwide. I’m sorry but it’s worth a mention!
Gov't says Facebook unfairly uses its monopoly power to squelch competition and Instagram/WhatsApp should be unwound, e.g., sold off...
— Edmund Lee (@edmundlee) December 9, 2020
Cutting @instagram would eliminate 1/3 of Facebook's ad revenue and cut its share of the ad market from 35% to 23% https://t.co/TahRCyQ2CJ pic.twitter.com/dJxl70K67V
This could also open the door for similar action in any range of industries changing the current approach to M & A and deterring what could be beneficial actions for consumers. 4/
— Jennifer Huddleston (@jrhuddles) December 9, 2020
Facebook's defense: You can't break us up, you cleared the acquisitions! https://t.co/xKHPf1es20
— Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) December 9, 2020
Mom & Dad woke up https://t.co/Xv6fgDYliU
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) December 9, 2020
A bipartisan coalition of 48 AGs are suing Facebook, whose dominant market power has been achieved at the cost of consumer choice, market innovation, & consumer privacy. AZ consumers & small businesses need to be protected from Big Tech’s illegal behavior. https://t.co/Mbw87M7qLM
— Mark Brnovich (@GeneralBrnovich) December 9, 2020
There are many options between "completely open" and "completely closed" when discussing privacy vs competition risks on communication systems where users can grant access to the data of others, but it's not clear that the FTC understands that such a tradeoff even exists.
— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) December 9, 2020
It helps that they don't buy big companies - nobody's suing Apple to force them to divest themselves of Dark Sky.
— Michael Love (@elkmovie) December 9, 2020
"prosecutors must show that Facebook bought rivals like Instagram & WhatsApp with the express purpose of killing off the competition. Then they must argue a theoretical: Consumers and the social media market would have been better off without the mergers."https://t.co/O40eHC8U9F
— @tiffanydcross (@TiffanyDCross) December 10, 2020
Facebook, which absolutely devastated my industry by supplying phony metrics about video vs. text, arbitrarily throttling page reach, going after fact-checkers who didn't do exactly what they wanted and personally smearing them, now has concerns about the bUsInEsS cOmMuNitY https://t.co/WU5HrkEVgj
— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) December 9, 2020
Finally, there is the question of what would it do for the consumer experience. Would we see the return of a subscription model for WhatsApp? Would separate platforms have fewer resources to engage in key content moderation, have to leverage more data, or sell more advertising?
— Jennifer Huddleston (@jrhuddles) December 9, 2020
if instagram was forced to become a separate company could it be good again?
— Taylor Hatmaker (@tayhatmaker) December 9, 2020
fits perfectly pic.twitter.com/SLupOM1MYF
— Michael Grinich (@grinich) December 10, 2020
AG Stein is asking the court to:
— NC Attorney General (@NCAGO) December 9, 2020
1. Stop Facebook's anticompetitive behavior
2. Restrict Facebook's ability to make large acquisitions without notifying the states, and
3. Provide additional relief as appropriate.
Read the full press release here: https://t.co/C9WYE6SqeO
‘You’re Deleting Your Account? We’ll Be Sad To See You Go,’ Says Facebook Prompt Showing User Photo Of Own Dead Body https://t.co/5mfEjT2UFu pic.twitter.com/JKXxkynqjM
— The Onion (@TheOnion) December 9, 2020
and so it begins
— Karl Bode (@KarlBode) December 9, 2020
lawmakers who literally let monopolies like AT&T write competition-crushing telecom law sharing deep thoughts on monopolies and competitionhttps://t.co/WZfFraSd5x
what if Facebook had bought Path
— Jordan Novet (@jordannovet) December 9, 2020
This is a Section 2 case and here is one piece of evidence against Facebook: Zuckerberg on IPO day: “I remember your internal post about how Instagram was our threat and not Google+. You were basically right. One
— CeciliaKang (@ceciliakang) December 9, 2020
thing about startups though is you can often acquire them.” https://t.co/lBjQ2vO5VI
According to the complaint, FB is the world’s dominant personal social networking service and has monopoly power in a market for personal social networking services 4/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
Facebook leveraged its monopoly power to dominate the market by buying actual and potential competitors, including Instagram and WhatsApp.
— Attorney General Becerra (@AGBecerra) December 9, 2020
Monopolistic behavior thwarts a healthy market, and Californians deserve better. https://t.co/lOcpjiB1h1
When FB bought Instagram, you had people loudly claiming they overpaid (I said it was the best billion they ever spent). FB hadn’t even gone public when it acquired Instagram (it was in its quiet period). Now it allegedly killed innovation. This is insane.
— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 9, 2020
The FTC reads their own consent decrees, right?
— Alex Stamos (@alexstamos) December 9, 2020
As I pointed out when it happened, the FTC really missed the competition boat with their huge focus on API access and now this section, while accurate, is at least tonally if not practically incompatible with what they demanded. pic.twitter.com/r2PPpPcKu1
"Facebook chose to buy an emerging threat rather than compete," the FTC says of FB's $19 billion WhatsApp acquisition.
— Kurt Wagner (@KurtWagner8) December 9, 2020
It's a good time to read up on WhatsApp, and Facebook's vision to turn it into a payments and commerce powerhouse ?https://t.co/FQ8a9pYGa0 pic.twitter.com/aiaWuCZIgb
After watching what's happened to Google and Facebook, folks at Amazon and Apple can't be too happy. The standard is set.
— Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) December 9, 2020
??????? https://t.co/wL0sYLgbXO
— shoshana wodinsky (@swodinsky) December 10, 2020
Complaint alleges that Facebook execs, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, quickly recognized that Instagram was a vibrant and innovative personal social network and an existential threat to FB’s monopoly power 6/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
Facebook must be held accountable. So great to see attorneys general from around the country stepping up to do just that. https://t.co/vvtGMXO8oK
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) December 9, 2020
How the state AGs use Facebook
— Shira Ovide (@ShiraOvide) December 9, 2020
vs.
How FTC lawyers use Facebook pic.twitter.com/e2juHqbuVh
bezos will be willing to buy https://t.co/KEBw8Dsgf3
— Yasha Levine (@yashalevine) December 9, 2020
This subhead from NY AG's Facebook lawsuit announcement email pic.twitter.com/h0zDxCmETQ
— Jane Lytvynenko (@JaneLytv) December 9, 2020
I would love to know who this mystery company that Facebook has tried to buy numerous times over the years, according to the FTC's lawsuit, might be pic.twitter.com/mn85QnnXGb
— Sal Rodriguez ? (@sal19) December 9, 2020
Christmas arrived early!
— Miguel de Icaza (@migueldeicaza) December 9, 2020
This fills my heart with joy. I would go further, I would split a few other things as well, like Oculus, and chop a few Facebook services here and there. https://t.co/Sk7YX1PnMy
Alabama, South Carolina and South Dakota attorneys general decided not to join effort to break up Facebook.
— Jeremy C. Owens (@jowens510) December 9, 2020
However, they did decide to join on lawsuit seeking to invalidate the results of the election on the same dauy.
i think the antitrust enforcers do not see this statement as a negative! https://t.co/aWBH6nOFDG
— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) December 9, 2020
Anyone who reads the 128 page complaint from the 48 state AGs vs Facebook will entirely understand why Facebook’s whining and protest about Apple rolling out its new tracking prevention with limits on its IDFA are entirely empty and self-serving. @andymstone
— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 10, 2020
In Short: Zuckerberg is ready to fight. And telling employees to zip it on anything that can jeopardize their defense. https://t.co/aXQIMfhIH1
— CeciliaKang (@ceciliakang) December 10, 2020
Rep. David Cicilline, who led a House investigation of the tech sector and concluded its biggest players have monopoly power, is praising the lawsuits.
— Brian Fung (@b_fung) December 9, 2020
“I applaud the FTC and state attorneys general … this marks a major step."
There are lots of reasons to sue Facebook. Facebook growing Instagram into one of the biggest social networks is not one of them.
— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 9, 2020
Complaint alleges FB engaged in a systematic strategy—including its 2012 acquisition of Instagram, its 2014 acquisition of WhatsApp and the imposition of anticompetitive conditions on software developers—to eliminate threats to its monopoly: https://t.co/s0Neikvj57 2/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
A Facebook breakup is what the FTC currently expects is necessary, but it's not a done deal/there's still a lot of negotiation with Facebook before a resolution is reached. And they say they have the power to ask for this. pic.twitter.com/5yiG7036Ec
— Sarah Frier (@sarahfrier) December 9, 2020
FTC alleges that FB, over many years, has imposed anticompetitive conditions on third-party software developers’ access to valuable interconnections to its platform, such as the APIs that allow the developers’ apps to interface with FB 8/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
“This lawsuit risks sowing doubt and uncertainty about the US government’s own merger review process and whether acquiring businesses can actually rely on the outcomes of the legal process.” -Facebook https://t.co/YsxRKn99BT
— Sara Fischer (@sarafischer) December 9, 2020
In the move to mobile, @Facebook executives were frightened that new innovators were winning away user attention. It was being outpaced by competitors’ rapid development of innovative ways to connect. New apps quickly become popular. Facebook was clunky in comparison.
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
Thoughts & prayers https://t.co/tk5D21fX8o
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) December 9, 2020
Facebook is getting protection from its fellow media outlets… Another sign that it should lose sec. 230 protection. “‘It’s Hard to Prove’: Why Antitrust Suits Against Facebook Face Hurdles” https://t.co/xefuuX9Y2C
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) December 10, 2020
#BREAKING: I'm leading a bipartisan coalition of 48 attorneys general in a lawsuit against @Facebook to end its illegal monopoly.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) December 9, 2020
We are taking action to stand up for the millions of consumers and many small businesses that have been harmed by Facebook’s illegal behavior.
This is a big step to mitigate monopolistic harms ↘️ https://t.co/ifID7P9mo5
— Marietje Schaake (@MarietjeSchaake) December 9, 2020
Because one man decided Holocaust denial was misinformation and not hate speech, despite advice from @ADL and others in the Jewish community, that was the rule of law on the largest communication platform in human history for a decade. This cannot continue.https://t.co/fGyogZRSfo
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) December 9, 2020
There is bipartisan support for the Facebook lawsuit. The case itself will not be easy: w/ @mikeisaac https://t.co/5bPO9teAmQ
— CeciliaKang (@ceciliakang) December 10, 2020
At the time Insta and WhatsApp were not the giants they are today and these acquisitions were even laughed at and criticized. I worry that such actions could chill a part of the Silicon Valley ecosystem not just for Facebook but for many other tech companies. 3/
— Jennifer Huddleston (@jrhuddles) December 9, 2020
FB’s longer response to these antitrust lawsuits is… something. https://t.co/wmpcCH6Bbt
— Alex Heath (@alexeheath) December 9, 2020
“The Instagram you see today is the Instagram that Facebook built, not the app it acquired”
“No American antitrust enforcer has ever brought a case like this before, and for good reason”
Apple looking at the Facebook antitrust lawsuits just filed: pic.twitter.com/Q4ZYeYPuSZ
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) December 9, 2020
I thank the state attorneys general across the country, led by @NewYorkStateAG, and my colleagues at the @FTC for their tenacity to investigate and take action to hold @Facebook accountable and fix this broken behemoth. https://t.co/FfVpVWnu6v
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
Break it up and make the ID registry a public good ?? https://t.co/RCxz9IJ3xU
— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) December 9, 2020
Facebook does have an all hands meeting tomorrow that is expected to be led by Zuckerberg. That should be... interesting.
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) December 9, 2020
FTC alleges FB cut off API access to blunt perceived competitive threats from rival personal social networking services, mobile messaging apps, and other apps with social functionalities 10/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
Subheads in the NY AG's press release on Facebook are questionable pic.twitter.com/49nYx6R1Ef
— James Titcomb (@jamestitcomb) December 9, 2020
In a way, the US needed to step in to tackle Facebook’s size and power. Without government intervention it had zero motivation*not* to buy up every company it could or clone them out of existence.
— Martin SFP Bryant (@MartinSFP) December 9, 2020
Forcing the divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp would do little to change their dominance of their respective market niches, and offers no real benefits to users. pic.twitter.com/qQENAp5euD
— Will_Duffield (@Will_Duffield) December 9, 2020
This is a necessity. The @instagram and WhatsApp mergers with @Facebook were anti-competitive, they were meant to be anti-competitive, and they should be broken up https://t.co/bt9ByuSvMt
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 9, 2020
Facebook lawyer lies on their blog post- claiming that the FTC says “no sale is ever final”.
— Miguel de Icaza (@migueldeicaza) December 10, 2020
That’s not what the lawsuit says. What it says is that FB went to great lengths to prevent competition, in violation of antitrust laws, and has offered a benevolent remedy. https://t.co/d8W4UsfJ43
The WhatsApp acquisition didn’t receive the regulatory scrutiny it perhaps should have. But the deal went through. I can see *maybe* being mad about it. I cannot understand the argument that Instagram with 13 employees and negative revenue was anything but a smart acquisition.
— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 9, 2020
My office is joining a nationwide coalition to sue @Facebook and end its illegal monopoly. Our coalition, led by @NewYorkStateAG, is seeking to immediately halt @Facebook's illegal, anticompetitive conduct and block the company from continuing this conduct.
— IL Attorney General (@ILAttyGeneral) December 9, 2020
Wow the FTC is really going for it: calling for Facebook to divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp https://t.co/aQqiQwIfNG pic.twitter.com/ySJNZRzrhP
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
Alabama, of course, not part of this massive lawsuit that might actually protect consumer interests. I guess joining doesn't specifically help Steve Marshall's personal political goals, so to hell with it. https://t.co/5caQYpiZBQ
— Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) December 9, 2020
Wow. This is like “United States v. Microsoft Corp” to me when it happened back in the distant past https://t.co/KvCNGkrmY4
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) December 9, 2020
Facebook’s illegal monopolization allows it to dictate the terms with users, content providers, advertisers, developers, and others. Unsurprisingly, these terms are good for @Facebook and no one else. https://t.co/8v0o8IWrgE
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
I get that Facebook's argument is that the FTC approved its deals previously, but if we're talking about "revisionist history" remember when Zuckerberg made that speech last year and said he created Facebook to give people a voice against the Iraq War.https://t.co/iBVKNmkh0G pic.twitter.com/5FoPL7Q6W9
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) December 9, 2020
(1/2) Facebook is a monopoly.
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) December 9, 2020
Its abuse of its dominance harms competition, innovation and other businesses.
In the absence of competition and accountability, Facebook has harmed people's privacy and allowed disinformation to flourish on its platform, threatening our democracy.
...she says as she tweets... on the platform that is a competitor to Facebook https://t.co/hrw3RBBI0Q
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) December 9, 2020
Remember, next time @facebook keeps Holocaust denial or calls for violence or election disinformation on their site under the guise of being a “free expression” platform, they shut down their own employees ability to talk about the company’s policies. https://t.co/v6PxpYOhF6
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) December 10, 2020
My first thought on the Facebook antitrust discourse is that a lot of the folks who find a breakup outrageous have a narrow understanding of antitrust law's scope and purpose. It isn't just about "monopoly," it's about market power, anticompetitive behavior, and consumer welfare.
— Will Oremus (@WillOremus) December 9, 2020
Zuckerberg posted about the lawsuits internally about an hour ago. "Overall, we disagree with the government's allegations and we plan to fight this in court," he writes. Otherwise, pretty bland.
— Ryan Mac ? (@RMac18) December 10, 2020
I believe the company's failures and repeat offenses must be corrected through structural reform. The FTC and the states have asked the court to order @Facebook to divest assets and business lines, and take any other steps needed to restore competition.
— Rohit Chopra (@chopraftc) December 9, 2020
We're reviewing the complaints & will have more to say soon. Years after the FTC cleared our acquisitions, the government now wants a do-over with no regard for the impact that precedent would have on the broader business community or the people who choose our products every day.
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) December 9, 2020
If you are the Facebook software engineer who sent this internal email in 2013, I like your style and would love to Zoom with you pic.twitter.com/d8njEOKEaz
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
One way to pay for the COVID cost https://t.co/waTYRmqEUf
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) December 9, 2020
no, but the Apple case wasn’t centered around splitting it up from companies it acquired, it was centered around splitting the App Store from Apple
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) December 9, 2020
(1/) A thread on the FTC lawsuit against Facebook, and the DOJ's lawsuit against Google.
— Thomas PHILIPPON (@ThomasPHI2) December 9, 2020
First, it is long overdue. Second, it's a good thing that it starts under a Republican administration and continues under a democratic one.
https://t.co/gYr86PnUvh via @WSJ
Complaint alleges that, by 2012, WhatsApp had emerged as the clear global “category leader” in mobile messaging. FB chose to buy an emerging threat rather than compete & announced an agreement in Feb. 2014 to acquire WhatsApp for $19B, according to the complaint 7/12
— FTC (@FTC) December 9, 2020
Notably, the FTC’s vote to take this case was 3-2. Commissioners Noah Joshua Phillips and Christine S. Wilson, both Trump appointees, voted no.
— Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) December 9, 2020
US Government sues Facebook for anticompetitive acquisition of WhatsApp and Instagram https://t.co/R26HKAnufN
— XDA (@xdadevelopers) December 10, 2020
Breaking: The U.S. government is asking a court to break up Facebook https://t.co/C5NDE8y3VG
— Jan Wolfe (@JanNWolfe) December 9, 2020
FTC and states call for Facebook divestiture -- legalese for break up. ???https://t.co/vB4b4mFhiG
— Sally Hubbard (@Sally_Hubbard) December 9, 2020
46 States + D.C. & Guam have signed onto the lawsuit against Facebook.
— The Real Facebook Oversight Board (@FBoversight) December 9, 2020
See the lawsuit filed by the states/territories: https://t.co/k4HM9f67oH
See the lawsuit filed by the @FTC: https://t.co/Rn2lrm1uPx pic.twitter.com/s1wQZJYJQG
Full complaint:https://t.co/wpaubTyE6h
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) December 9, 2020
Full complaint by the FTC and 48 states: "Facebook has maintained its monopoly position by buying up companies that present competitive threats and by imposing restrictive policies that hinder actual or potential rivals that Facebook cannot acquire".?https://t.co/LkX9gCrNfx
— Francesca Bria (@francesca_bria) December 9, 2020
I'd be embarassed to have my name attached to this document.
— Marcelo P. Lima (@MarceloPLima) December 9, 2020
You can read the complaint here:https://t.co/7JAEiSusGx pic.twitter.com/09aNIzKqKS
Just read the FTC lawsuit against Facebook. They are not playing at all. There's also the separate suit by the states which I haven't read yet. https://t.co/5mkaHR0ber
— After Action Report (@after_theaction) December 10, 2020
??ABOUT TIME!
— CTruthforTrump (@CTruthforTrump) December 10, 2020
The FTC sued to break up Facebook on Wednesday, asking a federal court to force the sell-off of assets such as Instagram and WhatsApp as independent businesses.
Federal Trade Commission calls for breakup of Facebook https://t.co/G14NOHPsuO
Federal Trade Commission calls for breakup of Facebook. The Federal Trade Commission sued to break up Facebook on Wednesday, asking a federal court to force the sell-off of assets such as Instagram and WhatsApp as independent businesses.
— JIX5A જીક્સા (@JIX5A) December 10, 2020
https://t.co/YuYgw5dUpD
Best news of the day. @ChristiAnne67 @AtheistBigfoot @kenserlore96 @ForumAtheist @GasmaNZ @DiamondLynne1 @NoHolyScripture @rockinrobray https://t.co/pEoHK98oGq
— Archie Debunker (@ArcheeDebunker) December 9, 2020
FTC sues to break up Facebook.
— Matthew Wolff ?️? (@MatthewWolfff) December 9, 2020
Get ‘em.https://t.co/aKu4rydNbu
Enough is enough! It’s time to break up Too Big to Fail Big Tech! #DefeatCorporateMonopolies #DefendDemocracyhttps://t.co/TiqZIs6uu2?
— Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) December 10, 2020
BREAKING: U.S. government calls for breakup of #Facebook.
— Jacob Ward (@byjacobward) December 9, 2020
"The lawsuit asks the court to order the 'divestiture of assets, divestiture or reconstruction of businesses (including, but not limited to, Instagram and/or WhatsApp)'" via @David_Ingram https://t.co/UPNW8QY2g4
Federal Trade Commission calls for breakup of Facebook https://t.co/IsfBFULuGd via @nbcnews
— Robin R Reichman Public Figure (@RobinReichmanTX) December 10, 2020
"The Federal Trade Commission sued to break up Facebook on Wednesday, asking a federal court to force the sell-off of assets such as Instagram and WhatsApp as independent businesses." https://t.co/52G0vjXTBf
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 9, 2020
Facebook, Messenger and Instagram go down in mysterious outage...hours after the Gov threatens to break them up. Guessing Zuck decided to send a message when those checks from Vladmir Trump stopped coming. https://t.co/TExCebKVKJ
— Richard Rowe for Congress (@ReforgeAmerica) December 10, 2020
BREAKING: FTC sues to break up Facebook, asking a federal court to force the sell-off of assets such as Instagram and WhatsApp as independent businesses. https://t.co/Fn6SniGKRP
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 9, 2020
U.S. government calls for breakup of Facebook https://t.co/X1jb3PAkRV via @nbcnews
— Matt Friedman (@MathewFriedman) December 9, 2020
Federal Trade Commission calls for breakup of Facebook. https://t.co/8khAERFu1R
— The Citizen Pundit (@1citizenpundit) December 10, 2020
WOW! Big move! https://t.co/BMm3CWYVrc
— Lark Davis (@TheCryptoLark) December 9, 2020
“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings."
— Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (@MaziNnamdiKanu) November 3, 2020
We demand answers from the Nigerian government! #LekkiMassacre #EndSARS https://t.co/EASYFDWY6L
At a time where people wait in line overnight in bread lines, the wealthy are getting even more plastic surgery because they don't like the way they look on Zoom. https://t.co/icAFtyLMzb
— Rio Slade of the Guillotine Party (@RioSlade) December 9, 2020
How bad is Neera Tanden?
— Leftward Swing?? (@LeftwardSwing) December 7, 2020
Glenn is quoting a WaPo artice here https://t.co/vvZ1RZi3Kj about her. This is what the Democratic Party has become; two faced bullshit artists who say one thing to your face but behind your back plots against you. pic.twitter.com/VN3aqvtNUb
“What happened at Lekki Toll Gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings."
— Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (@MaziNnamdlKanu) November 4, 2020
We demand answers from the Nigerian government! #LekkiMassacre #EndSARS https://t.co/puOpCI3mab
제목이.. 와우 ? “미국인들은 새로운 지역에 병을 옮김으로써 첫 추수감사절 정신을 되살리고 있다.” https://t.co/mZ5N7dnyny pic.twitter.com/BRQLSMZjgW
— Starboard (@livet_morange) November 27, 2020
Long overdue, but hell the fuck yes. https://t.co/Ha6dvdPIqr
— Adam Conover (@adamconover) December 10, 2020
First quote (below) calling for a Facebook breakup comes from an obscure econ.
— Hal Singer (@HalSinger) December 10, 2020
Second one saying a breakup is warranted comes from Herbert Hovenkamp. https://t.co/v15fhrh2Zf pic.twitter.com/BM7UqtfuAJ
Facebook sued by U.S. and states in antitrust case, FTC says https://t.co/a7sjLvQ6zf
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 10, 2020
Facebook sued by U.S. and states for alleged antitrust violations, FTC says https://t.co/a7sjLvQ6zf
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 9, 2020
Federal regulators are seeking to break Facebook Inc. — which includes Instagram and WhatsApp — into pieces. https://t.co/a7sjLvQ6zf
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 9, 2020
Summary of the FTC/Facebook complaint: FB monopolized a narrow market that excludes Twitter, Snapchat, & WhatsApp, AND FB's acquisition (or attempted acquisition) of these non-competitors is evidence of… anticompetitive behavior. ? https://t.co/qOWNO1SivN
— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) December 10, 2020
The @FTC v. Facebook complaint filing: https://t.co/2HZ7brWAGW
— Robert Dolezal (@RobertDolezal) December 10, 2020
29/ There's actually two different lawsuits filed today against Facebook by FTC and the 48 AGs.
— Kent Bye VoicesOfVR (@kentbye) December 10, 2020
State AG Press Releasehttps://t.co/V8IF70Ay8d
State AG Lawsuit (PDF)https://t.co/qBfnn213dR
FTC Press Releasehttps://t.co/KTVFHFlcnh
FTC Lawsuit (PDF)https://t.co/lyaoCLeOI1 pic.twitter.com/2mrk7xqTgk
How about this, @Facebook? They coming for ya, LOLhttps://t.co/CywK94l0kD
— Alex Horton (@alexhortdog95) December 9, 2020
US Gov't calls for breakup of Facebook $FB. Couldn't have happened sooner, IMO. Expect Google $GOOG and Amazon $AMZN to be in the same crosshairs shortly https://t.co/9edBkfDqdP
— Adam Taggart (@menlobear) December 9, 2020
Congress is bought and paid for by Big Tech.
— Hot Takes with Matt Gaetz (@GaetzTakes) December 10, 2020
It was always going to require an entity like the FTC to step in and utilize its authority to break up Facebook’s online monopoly. https://t.co/Uj16UfKbGI
FTC sues to break up Facebook, sell off assets like Instagram and WhatsApp https://t.co/qfYD00NVg0 via @nbcnews
— #ProgressiveParty (@GottaBernNow) December 10, 2020
U.S. government calls for breakup of Facebook: The Federal Trade Commission sued to break up Facebook on Wednesday, asking a federal court to force the sell-off of assets such as Instagram and WhatsApp. https://t.co/4iWeyUcFF2
— Jeffrey Levin (@jilevin) December 9, 2020
I would also say it's not a coincidence that Facebook (and likely Google) will be broken up. These are the CIA's domestic spying/blackmail organizations.
— TheDeflationist (@TDeflationist) December 10, 2020
The CIA is donehttps://t.co/AAf1UEzpge
"In the absence of competition and accountability, Facebook has harmed people’s privacy and allowed disinformation to flourish on its platform,” @davidcicilline said.
— Center for Journalism & Liberty (@CJL4News) December 10, 2020
Strong recap by tech/business reporters @byandreachang @JMBooyah @suhaunah @latimes https://t.co/Yho890WR0N
@LindaWarriorGal
— The Hood UK ?? ??Do I Seem Rattled??? (@Harrow1984) December 10, 2020
Facebook May Be Forced to Sell Instagram and WhatsApp https://t.co/NW3F1T3I2G