UK opens investigation into Meta’s proposed business terms

The UK Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation on October 30 into whether Meta’s proposed business terms could amount to an abuse of a dominant position by allowing the company to use publishers’ and other businesses’ website content for its products, including artificial intelligence features. The regulator is examining terms that would apply to businesses using Meta’s services. It said the proposed conditions could allow Meta to collect website content and use it to develop and provide its own products, without giving businesses meaningful choice over whether or how their material is used. The CMA said the terms could impose unfair trading conditions on businesses that rely on Meta’s platforms to reach customers and audiences. The investigation will assess whether Meta holds a dominant position in a relevant UK market and, if so, whether the proposed terms amount to abuse of that position. The CMA opened the case under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998, which prohibits abuse of a dominant position affecting trade in the UK. The inquiry is not a finding that Meta has breached competition law. Meta paused the planned changes on October 28 while it...