FTC files lawsuit against Meta over attempted monopolization of metaverse
2022.07.28 14:10
FTC files lawsuit against Meta over attempted monopolization of metaverse
The United States Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has filed a lawsuit against Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an attempt to stop the social media giant from “its ultimate goal of owning the entire ‘metaverse’.”
In a complaint filed in the Northern District of California on Wednesday, the FTC alleged Meta’s and Zuckerberg’s potential acquisition of virtual reality firm Within and its fitness app Supernatural was illegal according to U.S. antitrust laws and a way for the social media firm to “buy its way to the top” as opposed to “competing on the merits.” The complaint alleged that under Zuckerberg, Meta was “a potential entrant in the virtual reality dedicated fitness app market” with the resources necessary to develop its own app, but instead chose to own Supernatural by purchasing Within. The move would allegedly hinder “future innovation and competitive rivalry” among companies in the United States.
