The General Rapporteur of the French competition authority, Autorité de la concurrence, has announced that an objection has been formally issued to the Meta group. This objection pertains to practices in the online advertising sector that may have significant implications for related markets, particularly those involving ad verification services and the sale of ad spaces.

Meta is accused of abusing its dominant market position by restricting access to partnerships for ad verification services associated with its ad inventories. The authority claims that these restrictions are not transparent, objective, or non-discriminatory, which raises concerns about fair competition in the sector.

This notification marks the beginning of inter partes proceedings, allowing the involved parties to defend their positions. It is important to note that this does not imply any presumption of guilt on the part of Meta or any other companies receiving the objections. The authority will conduct a thorough investigation, including written observations and an oral hearing, to determine the validity of the objections.

In a related development, interim measures were previously ordered in May 2023 following a complaint from Adloox against Meta. The authority mandated that Meta establish and publicly disclose new criteria for accessing and maintaining partnerships related to “viewability” and “brand safety.” These criteria must be objective, transparent, non-discriminatory, and proportionate. Additionally, the authority has expedited Adloox’s entry into these partnerships.

The interim measures will remain in effect until the authority reaches a final decision on the merits of the case, ensuring that the competitive landscape in the online advertising sector is preserved during the investigation.