Meta sued by French media giants over business malpractices

Mumbai: 67 French media companies have filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) in the Paris Business Tribunal Court. 

Meta is accused of engaging in unlawful business practices that undermine fair competition in the digital advertising sector.​

It is alleged that Meta has misused its dominant position in the digital advertising market. The media companies claim that Meta has violated European data protection laws due to its collection of personal data and its targeted advertising techniques. 

It is argued that these practices distort competition and harm the economic interests of traditional media outlets. 

The plaintiffs are represented by the law firms Scott + Scott and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier. This lawsuit adds to the mounting legal challenges Meta faces in Europe, where the company is also expected to stand trial in Spain later this year over a Euros 551 million lawsuit from over 80 media outlets alleging unfair advertising competition. 

Additionally, Meta was recently fined by EU antitrust regulators, alongside Apple, for breaches of European law related to their advertising practices. 

Meta is yet to issue a public response to the lawsuit. This legal battle and its outcome could decide the future of Meta’s operations landscape in European markets. This case has adequately highlighted the growing tensions between tech giants and traditional media outlets as far as competition in digital advertising and data privacy is concerned.