Meta is challenging the European Commission’s decision to regulate two of its services, Messenger and Marketplace, as guardians of the bloc’s tough new restrictions on tech platforms. The company filed an appeal today on the two services arguing that neither should qualify, said Meta spokesman Chris Sgro. The edge.
Reuters reported Previously, Meta will not object to the European Commission’s gatekeeper designation applying to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Being designated as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act means that technology platforms must comply with certain rules of neutrality and openness. Messaging services like Meta’s Messenger must be interoperable with other messaging services; Sales platforms like Meta’s Marketplace must comply with rules that protect merchants who use them.
Meta says Messenger is no different from Facebook
Both platforms meet the usage numbers that would qualify them as gatekeepers, but Meta maintains that they should be exempt due to other distinctions. Meta maintains that Messenger is a feature of Facebook and not a messaging platform itself (an interesting position given that the apps have been separate for almost a decade and only reunited earlier this year). Marketplace shouldn’t qualify, Meta says, because it’s a consumer-to-consumer service with no Meta in the middle.
Tomorrow is the deadline for technology companies to appeal the European Commission’s guardian appointments. He Financial times reports A court is expected to rule on the appeals within months, ahead of the March 6 deadline to comply. apple is expected to appeal at least one of his own designations as well.
“This appeal seeks clarification on specific points of law related to Messenger and Marketplace designations under the DMA. It does not alter or detract from our firm commitment to comply with the WFD, and we will continue to work constructively with the European Commission to prepare for compliance,” Sgro said. The edge in an emailed statement.
