German cartel office rules Facebook abused dominant position

In December 2017, the German cartel office presented preliminary findings in an investigation of Facebook, ruling that the company had abused its dominant position by requiring access to third-party data (including data from subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram) when an account is opened and tracking users across the web. Facebook responded that the service is popular in Germany, but not dominant.  About 41% of Germans have active Facebook accounts. The investigation's final resolution could lead to requiring the company to change some of its practices. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/19/facebook-abused-dominant-position-says-german-cartel-office.html
tags: Facebook, tracking, Germany, social media, regulatory actions
Writer: Reuters
Publication: CNBC