Regulators suspect the deal, labelled the "Jedi Blue", puts obstacles in the way of competitors who provide online display advertising services.
Antitrust regulators in the European Union (EU) and the UK have launched an investigation over a deal between Google and Meta. Critics allege the deal will allow the two firms to block smaller tech companies from gaining a foothold in the online ad market.
The deal is already under scrutiny in the US, with attorney generals from 15 states filing lawsuits against the two companies. Although EU and UK regulators are investigating both Google and Meta, it seems that European Commission will be paying closer attention to the Search engine giant.
"We have not concluded yet if it's a Google thing alone or if they were in it together. It's not a given that Meta was conscious of the effects of the deal and that's what we have to investigate," Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief said.
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