March 11, 2022
2 mins read

EU, UK open probe into Google-Meta ad deal

The investigation concerns a September 2018 agreement, which Google code-named “Jedi Blue”, between Google and Meta for the participation of Meta’s Audience Network in Google’s Open Bidding programme….reports Asian Lite News

The European Union and the UK antitrust authorities have launched parallel probes to assess whether an agreement between Google and Meta for online display advertising services may have breached the Union’s competition rules.

The investigation concerns a September 2018 agreement, which Google code-named “Jedi Blue”, between Google and Meta for the participation of Meta’s Audience Network in Google’s Open Bidding programme.

The Commission is concerned that the agreement may form part of efforts to exclude ad tech services competing with Google’s Open Bidding programme, and therefore restrict or distort competition in markets for online display advertising, to the detriment of publishers, and ultimately consumers.

If proven, the practices under investigation may breach EU competition rules on anticompetitive agreements between companies (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and/or the abuse of a dominant position (Article 102 TFEU).

“Many publishers rely on online display advertising to fund online content for consumers. Via the so-called ‘Jedi Blue’ agreement between Google and Meta, a competing technology to Google’s Open Bidding may have been targeted with the aim to weaken it and exclude it from the market for displaying ads on publisher websites and apps,” Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said in a statement.

“If confirmed by our investigation, this would restrict and distort competition in the already concentrated ad tech market, to the detriment of rival ad serving technologies, publishers and ultimately consumers,” Vestager added.

Google provides advertising technology services that intermediate between advertisers and publishers by real time auctioning of online display advertising space on web sites or mobile apps, including through its ‘Open Bidding programme’.

Meanwhile, Meta provides online display advertising services and, through its ‘Meta Audience Network’, participates in auctions for third party publishers’ advertising space using Google’s and rivals’ advertising technology services.

The Commission said it will now carry out its in-depth investigation as a matter of priority. The opening of a formal investigation does not prejudge its outcome.

The UK’s Competition Market Authority (CMA) has launched its own investigation into the agreement between Google and Meta. As is customary, the Commission has been in contact with the CMA and intends to closely cooperate on this investigation following the applicable rules and procedures.

ALSO READ: EU to phase out Russian energy

Previous Story

Kerala ISIS-K recruit killed in Afghanistan

Next Story

Currency depreciation lands Lanka in soup

Latest from -Top News

SYRIA RAIDS: Arab League Slams Israel

The Arab League condemned the airstrikes and called on the international community and the United Nations to confront what it described as “repeated violations committed by Israel against the Syrian state.” The

Singapore’s Ruling Party Achieves Landslide Victory

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, whose party won the election, thanked supporters.,..reports Asian Lite News Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) won 87 of the 97 seats in Parliament in Saturday’s general election,

Jaishankar, Lavrov Discuss Pahalgam Terror Attack

Both the Ministers discussed issues of Russian-Indian cooperation and the aggravation of India-Pakistan relations following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar spoke to the Russian Foreign Minister

Rajnath Singh to skip Russia visit

The decision comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir…reports Asian Lite News Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will not likely attend Russia’s

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Indian High Commission hosts 2nd Indo-Pacific Conference 

The event was co-hosted with the Australian and Singapore High

UK to upgrade defence missile system in Red Sea

Tension has soared in the Red Sea area since Yemen’s