Around 200 French media companies, including leading names like TF1, France TV, BFM TV, Figaro, and Liberation, have filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., alleging unlawful business practices in the digital advertising sector. The collective legal action targets Meta, the owner of Facebook, accusing it of leveraging its market dominance through extensive data collection for targeted advertising.
The media outlets are collectively represented by the law firms Scott+Scott and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, taking the case to the Paris business tribunal court. According to Insider Monkey, this legal challenge parallels ongoing cases across Europe, such as a trial in Spain this October involving over 80 media companies accusing Meta of unfair competition in advertising.
This lawsuit is set against a backdrop of increasing EU scrutiny of tech giants' business practices. Meta, alongside Apple, was recently fined by EU antitrust regulators for breaches of EU law. Such actions highlight the growing regulatory push in Europe against dominant digital platforms accused of leveraging their power at the expense of market fairness.