The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly considering laying down Facebook’s head Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Elliot ZuckerbergHillicon Valley: Russian hackers are back in the spotlight with vaccine investigation attack | Twitter says 130 accounts targeted in this week’s cyber attack | Four Dismissed, Dozens Suspended in CBP Investigation of Racist and Sexist Facebook Groups Democrats scold Facebook for climate misinformation 12:30 Hill Report – Presented by Facebook – Public debate over facial masks increases MORE and COO Sheryl Sandberg as she looks at whether the social media giant violated antitrust laws.
People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal and Fox Business that the FTC is considering calling Zuckerberg and Sandberg, and that some top Facebook officials are preparing for a possible subpoena.
Antitrust probes often include multiple rounds of document requests, and the interviews will take time to finish, indicating that the FTC is not near the end of its investigation.
However, the company appears focused on Zuckerberg’s appearance later this month in front of the House of Representatives judiciary antitrust subcommittee, where he and other high-tech executives will testify.
“We hope to share our views on the competitive landscape, along with other technology leaders, during this month’s Congressional hearing, while also demonstrating to law enforcement that our innovation offers more options for consumers,” said a spokesperson. From Facebook.
The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
Zuckerberg and Sandberg were not called to testify in the FTC’s previous Facebook investigation into alleged consumer privacy violations, an investigation that produced a $ 5 billion settlement a year ago.
The FTC is investigating whether Facebook, which also owns other platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram, illegally engaged in monopolistic business practices, even if it tried to buy competitors to reduce competition.
The Justice Department and several state attorneys general are also investigating Facebook and other platforms on antitrust violations.
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