In a significant shift, Meta Platforms Inc. has announced plans to open up its once-guarded Facebook Marketplace to a range of classified ad competitors in Europe. This decision comes as part of Meta’s efforts to adhere to a landmark European Union antitrust ruling, which also saw the company being fined €798 million ($829 million).
Under the new program, classified ad firms in Europe will be able to pay to have their listings featured on Facebook Marketplace. The cost will be determined by the number of times a user interacts with a listing by clicking on a specific button. This initiative follows a successful pilot program conducted with eBay.
Despite these changes, Meta has voiced its continued disagreement with the European Commission's decision, stating that it believes the fines imposed on them are akin to a tariff regime. Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously criticized the EU antitrust fines as well.
The European Commission, based in Brussels, has stated that they are currently evaluating Meta's compliance with their order. The commission's ruling in November instructed Meta to cease linking its classified ad service with the wider Facebook platform and to cease imposing unfair conditions on rival second-hand goods platforms.
This enforcement action was one of the final initiatives of former EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager, who during her tenure extensively fined large American tech companies, including imposing over €8 billion in fines on Google alone.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority had also scrutinized Facebook Marketplace but opted to accept concessions offered by Meta instead of pursuing a further investigation. These developments underline the shifting landscape of antitrust enforcement within the tech industry, with big players facing increased scrutiny and regulatory oversight.