The New York-led antitrust investigation of Facebook has gained support from dozens of more states. A total of 47 attorneys general are now investigating Facebook, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Tuesday. AGs from 45 states, as well as the territory of Guam and the District of Columbia, have joined hands in this bipartisan investigation.
The announcement marks a sharp increase from last month when the investigation was launched by Letitia James. The team initially included James and AGs from seven other states, including Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennesse, and the District of Columbia.
They have now been joined by AGs from Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the territory of Guam. James said six other states can’t confirm their participation in pending investigations.
In the press release, James said all of the states involved are concerned that “Facebook may have put consumer data at risk, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, and increased the price of advertising”. She vowed to use every investigative tool at the disposal to “determine whether Facebook’s actions stifled competition and put users at risk.”
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein also echoed her words. “I’m increasingly concerned about the way the internet has come to be dominated by a few major tech companies. We need to protect competition in markets so that consumers benefit from choices,” he said.
Facebook antitrust investigation
Facebook’s antitrust headache continues to get worse. The social media giant already faces an antitrust investigation launched by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in July. The probe concerns potential antitrust violations by Facebook, including anticompetitive business practices and user data abuse. Facebook was also handed a $5 billion fine by the FTC.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify on Capitol Hill today about the company’s plans for a cryptocurrency. Authorities are concerned about its potential impact on finances. Mark might also encounter a few questions related to the ongoing antitrust saga.
Facebook isn’t the only company facing multistate investigations in the US, though. Several of its rivals, including Google, Amazon, and Apple, are also facing similar issues of their own. All of these probes seek to examine the practices of platforms that dominate the internet media. A group of state attorneys general are also opposing the T-Mobile-Sprint merger saying it will harm competition and raise prices.