Facebook Might be Blocked From Integrating WhatsApp, Instagram, And Messenger
Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that the company plans to unify all of its three platforms – WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger – to operate under the same infrastructure. The company broke the news at this year’s Facebook’s F8 conference held in April.
The company said, at the time, that this wasn’t going to be easy on the technical side, but it will be done.
This has raised concerns from users, considering the company’s history on user privacy. Even the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly concerned about this integration.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the FTC is considering to take action against Facebook to block it from integrating its portfolio of social media platforms.
The new report follows a grand scheme that the FTC is investigating Facebook on antitrust grounds. Facebook has been under investigation by the FTC on the possibility of reduced competition in the social networking space through the acquisition of rival apps – Instagram and WhatsApp.
The FTC is cautious about the possible integration between the apps, dissipating fears that it would make it harder to break up Facebook potentially.
Facebook has been under investigation since July by the FTC on antitrust concerns, and more agencies – The Justice Department, Congress, and state attorneys general – have also launched their separate inspection on the same.
Seeking this injunction is, reportedly, not a walk in the park. The FTC will have to prove that Facebook has violated antitrust laws or was about to. Furthermore, FTC officials will have to vote formally to approve any breakup.
People familiar with the matter said that the court is unlikely to issue an injunction that will buy the FTC some time to investigate the matter.
As per now, it is reported that the agency has not made a final decision on the matter.
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