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The Antitrust starts an investigation against Meta

2023-04-05T06:43:29.746Z


For having interrupted the negotiations for the use of music rights on its own platforms, abusing the economic dependence of Siae (ANSA)


   The Antitrust has launched an investigation against Meta Platform, Meta Platforms Ireland, Meta Platforms Technologies UK Limited and Facebook Italy to ascertain an alleged abuse of economic dependence in the negotiation with Siae of the stipulation of the user license, on their own platforms, of music rights.

According to the Authority, Mark Zuckerberg's company may have unduly interrupted the negotiations for the stipulation of the license to use the musical rights on its platforms, abusing the economic dependence of Siae.

Along with the investigation, the precautionary proceeding was also launched. 

  According to the Competition and Market Authority, led by Roberto Rustichelli, Meta may have unduly interrupted the negotiations for the renewal of the expired contract, also eliminating the musical content protected by Siae from its social and non-social platforms


would have provided the company with the information necessary to carry out the negotiations in full compliance with the principle of transparency and fairness.

The Antitrust investigates the hypothesis that Meta could have abused the contractual imbalance from which it benefits by asking Siae to accept an inadequate economic offer, without however providing the appropriate information to evaluate its effective congruity.

Following the interruption of the negotiations, Meta eliminated the musical contents protected by Siae from the social platforms so that they were no longer usable by users.

   The Authority believes that the hypothesized abuse of economic dependence could have a significant impact on the protection of competition in the markets concerned and cause serious damage to consumers.

Such conduct, reads a note, could not only significantly compress SIAE's competitive capacity on the markets concerned, but also prevent the authors it represents - a significant part of those active in Italy - from


to reach the ever-widening category of users who use social platforms.

Meta's behavior could also have repercussions on authors represented by other companies (collecting societies) and who are co-owners of the rights together with authors protected by Siae.

In addition, the obstacle to accessing musical content on Meta's platforms could also have negative effects for the


remuneration of related rights of producers of musical works and all other legal positions protected under the law on the right to 'author.

Furthermore, these abusive practices could significantly limit the choice of consumers who would be deprived of them


the possibility of using the works protected by Siae, an important component of the Italian and international musical offer.

   At the same time as the preliminary investigation, the Antitrust also started the procedure to adopt any precautionary measures.

The interruption of the negotiation between Meta and Siae, in fact, could immediately affect the competitive dynamics between the various subjects that make up the market chain of the intermediation of musical works copyright.

Hence the need for a precautionary intervention that guarantees the reactivation of a negotiation process between Meta and Siae in compliance with the principles of good faith, transparency and fairness.

Source: ansa

All life articles on 2023-04-05

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