FTC refiles case against Facebook and dismisses request for recusal of chair Lina Khan.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has refiled its antitrust case against Facebook, arguing that the tech giant holds monopoly power in social networking and continues its effort to curb the influence of big tech companies. The case marks a significant renewal of the battle between the US government and Facebook.
The FTC’s renewed action follows a setback in June, when a federal judge dismissed previous antitrust lawsuits filed by the agency and a coalition of state attorneys general. The court had criticized the lack of sufficient evidence that Facebook holds a monopoly in social media.
In its new filing, the FTC used user metrics to highlight how Facebook has maintained a dominant share of the US social networking market since 2011. The agency claims that Facebook’s lack of serious competition has allowed it to develop a surveillance-based advertising model and impose increasing demands on its users.
The FTC also rejected Facebook’s request for its chair, Lina Khan, to recuse herself from the case, given her past public criticism of the company. The move signals the agency’s determination to continue its legal pursuit of Facebook, despite the previous setback.
