A network effect _is_ a kind of monopoly, and this monopoly power can be abused like any other. It’s harder to compete with Facebook than it would be in an ide

A network effect _is_ a kind of monopoly, and this monopoly power can be abused like any other. It’s harder to compete with Facebook than it would be in an idealized free market because there are only so many different platforms a user will be willing to use to keep in touch with their friends. This fact alone doesn’t automatically make Facebook evil, but does mean it deserves an appropriate level of scrutiny and regulatory oversight like companies with other kinds of monopoly power, even if the details differ.