Suspected abuse of a dominant position in relation to Meta’s commercial terms
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether Meta’s commercial terms for businesses may constitute an abuse of a dominant position under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998.
Case timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| October 2026 to January 2027 | Rapid initial information gathering and engagement with Meta and third parties |
| 30 October 2026 | Investigation opened |
The dates above are indicative and may change.
Businesses under investigation
The businesses under investigation by the CMA are:
- Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Facebook UK Limited
- Facebook Ireland Limited
The investigation may also concern other entities within Meta’s corporate group, including relevant UK subsidiaries.
- Press release: CMA opens investigation into Meta’s commercial terms (30.10.26)
Case information
On 30 October 2026, the CMA launched an investigation under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 into suspected breaches of competition law by Meta.
The investigation concerns Meta’s commercial terms for businesses using its platforms and services.
The CMA is concerned that requiring businesses to accept these terms may amount to the imposition of unfair trading conditions on businesses that rely on Meta’s services to reach customers and audiences.
The investigation will assess:
- whether Meta holds a dominant position in one or more relevant markets in the UK
- if so, whether its existing commercial terms, or revisions to those terms, amount to an abuse of that position under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998
As part of its investigation, the CMA will gather and assess evidence from Meta and affected third parties.
No assumption should be made at this stage that competition law has been infringed.
Possible outcomes
At this stage, no decision has been made on whether Meta has broken competition law.
Following its initial investigation and information gathering, the CMA may close the investigation if it decides not to proceed. If it provisionally considers that competition law has been infringed, it may issue a statement of objections setting out its concerns and give the parties an opportunity to respond before reaching a final decision.
Information about the CMA’s procedures is available in its guidance on Competition Act 1998 investigations.
Contact
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation may contact the case team.
- Project Director, Tamara Todorovic: tamara.todorovic@cma.gov.uk
- Assistant Project Director, Sil van Kordelaar: sil.vankordelaar@cma.gov.uk
- Senior Responsible Officer, Lourenco Ventura: lourenco.ventura@cma.gov.uk
For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office.
- Telephone numbers
-
- Phone: 020 3738 6460
- Out of hours: 020 3738 6878
Opening hours
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. On bank holidays, use our out of hours number.
Personal data
The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its competition-law functions. This may include personal data relating to individuals representing businesses or organisations that provide information during the investigation.
For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, visit the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.