Facebook has to pay up, to the tune of $122 million.
EU regulators said the social media site deliberately misled them.
In 2014 Facebook wanted to acquire messaging service WhatsApp. Facebook told the EU that it couldn’t match user accounts across platforms.
In 2016 it did exactly that—and EU investigators found that Facebook knew it had the capability in 2014, when it proposed the acquisition.
“We believe that considering all elements in the fine calculation, including the deterrence effect, the fine imposed on Facebook of 110 million euros is indeed proportionate in light of Facebook’s turnover,” said European Commission Competition spokesman Ricardo Cordaso.
“I would also point to the fact that the fine is the highest fine that we have ever imposed for a procedural infringement in a merger case,” he said.