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Case timetable

Date	Action
20 August 2024	CMA decision on the variation of commitments published. Implementation of the commitments continues
June 2024 to August 2024	CMA consideration of representations received in response to the consultation on the variation
24 May 2024 to 14 June 2024	Variation of commitments consultation period
24 May 2024	Consultation opened on variation of commitments proposed by Meta
3 November 2023	CMA commitments decision published and case closed. Implementation of commitments commences
June 2023 to October 2023	CMA consideration of representations received in response to the consultation on commitments
26 May 2023 to 26 June 2023	Commitments consultation period
26 May 2023	Consultation opened on commitments proposed by Meta
July 2022 to Summer 2023	Further CMA analysis and review of information gathered
July 2022	Decision taken to proceed with investigation
June 2021 to July 2022	Initial investigation: information gathering, including issue of formal or informal information requests. CMA analysis and review of information gathered.
3 June 2021	Investigation opened

Decision to accept a variation of commitments

20 August 2024: The CMA published its decision to accept a variation of the commitments that were previously accepted on 3 November 2023. The variation now contains the option of excluding certain ad data from all advertisers from being used by Meta in Facebook Marketplace. Under this option, advertisers would retain the ability to place ads on Facebook Marketplace.

The variation of commitments has been made under Section 31A of the Competition Act 1998 . The other terms of the commitments not affected by the variation continue to remain in place. Further details of the changes to the commitments that the variation makes, and the CMA鈥檚 assessment of these changes, can be found in the Decision:

• (20.8.24)
• (20.8.24)
• (20.8.24)
• News story: Meta鈥檚 changes to ad data use rules accepted by CMA (20.8.24)

Consultation on a variation of commitments

24 May 2024: The CMA published a notice of intention to accept a variation of the commitments that had been accepted by the CMA on 3 November 2023. The CMA will consider any representations made in response to this consultation before making a final decision on whether or not to accept the proposed variation. Interested parties should submit any responses to the consultation by 14 June 2024.

• Consultation on the proposed variation to the commitments in respect of Meta鈥檚 use of advertising data (24.5.24)

Monitoring Trustee

Appointment of Monitoring Trustee and Technical Expert

20 December 2023: The CMA has approved the appointment of Grant Thornton UK LLP by Meta as Monitoring Trustee to monitor compliance with the binding commitments accepted by the CMA on 3 November 2023. The CMA has also approved the appointment by the Monitoring Trustee of an in-house Technical Expert to support the Monitoring Trustee in monitoring compliance.

Grant Thornton may be reached via the following contacts at:

• Team email: [email protected]
• Craig Reed, Project Lead: [email protected]
• Alison J Robinson, Project Manager: [email protected]

Decision to accept binding commitments

3 November 2023: The CMA published its decision to accept commitments from Meta that allow competitors advertising on Meta platforms to opt out of certain ad data being used by Meta in Facebook Marketplace. The commitments also include Meta limiting the way it uses certain ad data in product development in the UK.

Formal acceptance of commitments by the CMA has brought the investigation to an end, with no decision being made as to whether the Competition Act 1998 has been infringed.

• (3.11.23)
• (3.11.23)
• News story: (3.11.23)
• Press notice: (3.11.23)

Consultation on commitments

26 May 2023: The CMA published a notice of intention to accept commitments offered by Meta and invited representations from interested third parties on the proposed commitments. The CMA will consider any representations made in response to the consultation before making a final decision on whether or not to accept the proposed commitments.

• Consultation on proposed commitments in respect of Meta鈥檚 use of advertising data (26.5.23)

• Press release: Meta offers to limit use of businesses鈥� ad data to address CMA concerns (26.5.23)

Change log

The following changes have been made to the case timetable since it was first published in June 2021:

Date of change	Reason for change	Change made to timetable
15 February 2023	Additional time required	Analysis and review, including of further information gathered, extended from Autumn 2022 to Summer 2023
7 April 2022	Further evidence gathering and analysis	Initial investigation: information gathering, including issue of formal or informal information requests. CMA analysis and review of information gathered extended from February 2022 to Summer 2022

Case launch

3 June 2021: the CMA launched an investigation under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 into suspected breaches of competition law by Meta (formerly Facebook). The investigation concerns Meta鈥檚 conduct in relation to the collection and/or use of data in the context of providing online advertising services and its single sign-on function and whether this results in a competitive advantage over downstream competitors.

• Press release: CMA investigates Facebook鈥檚 use of ad data (4.6.21)

Notes

• The investigation is under Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998.
• The CMA has not reached a view as to whether there is sufficient evidence of an infringement of competition law for it to issue a statement of objections. Not all cases result in the CMA issuing a statement of objections.
• The CMA will consider any representations it receives before any decision is taken as to whether competition law has in fact been infringed.
• Further detail of the CMA鈥檚 procedures in Competition Act 1998 cases is available in鈥痮ur guidance.
• Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made if the estimated timing changes.

Personal data

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its investigations, including investigations under the Competition Act 1998. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contacts

• Team Email: [email protected]

• Project Director, Will Barnes: 0203 738 6474, [email protected]

• Senior Responsible Officer, Euan MacMillan: 0131 515 2250, [email protected]

Media enquiries: 020 3738 6460, [email protected]