3 ms·

Facebook seems like the least of the big techs that are the most abusive of monopoly (outside of netflix). Google is by far the most abusive, Apple is the most

Facebook seems like the least of the big techs that are the most abusive of monopoly (outside of netflix). Google is by far the most abusive, Apple is the most locked down, Amazon is the most disruptive. Facebook is just for casual communication and isn't as business impacting.

0xB31B1B 6y ago
Facebook is the most anti-competitive of them all IMO. "Monopolist" and "anti-competitive" are overlapping yet distinct legal concepts in antitrust law. Facebook had a well known "buy or bury" strategy where they would either buy their competitors or try to destroy them. What is interesting is that IMO FB has had antitrust pressure before google/apple/amazon and this basically froze FB's M&A teams for the past ~4 years. In this time we have seen 4 new promising independent social media networks arise (tiktok, dispo, clubhouse, substack). IMO without the antitrust pressure against FB the current state of social media would be more consolidated, less likely that these 4 new networks would be independent/growing quickly at this stage.
- mimikatz 6y ago
  Amazon told diapers.com sell to us or we will sell diapers at below cost until you run out of money. Maybe I am just old and the "real" world seems much more legit than the social media world. Sure Facebook bought a lot of companies, but there isn't a ton they do to smoosh them together. They seem pretty independent. Facebook's ability to kill seems weak. TikTok is still doing well and Reels didn't eat into them. Clubhouse is new and up and coming. Much more competitors than new search engines (which isn't even what Google really is anymore). Apple does have more a variety and mix of competition as well as less market share than the other Tech giants.
  - bostonsre 6y ago
    What are facebook acquisitions where the acquired companies have remained independent? Whatsapp, Instagram, and oculus seem like they have been assimilated a good amount. re: tiktok and clubhouse I think the op made a good point about the Facebook m&a spree being put on hold due to their legal troubles a few years back and now can only try to clone/crush competitors now. They cloned tiktok and wouldn't be surprised to hear they have a clubhouse clone in the works.
- roenxi 6y ago
  > Facebook had a well known "buy or bury" strategy where they would either buy their competitors or try to destroy them. That doesn't make a company monopolistic. Having a strategy that considers competitors and the whole market is just savvy thinking. Monopoly is about the detail of how such a strategy succeeds. It isn't obvious that Facebook has a monopoly.
smegger001 6y ago
except for the whole destroying political discourse in our country accelerating polarization spreading disinformation and acting as a tool of radicalization. not to mention leading to increased rates of depression in it users.
fitblipper 6y ago
Interesting take. From where I sit Facebook appears the most brazen about their anti-competitive practices especially when compared to Google. Their tightly held walled guarden, forcing oculus to use facebook accounts, etc. Android allows 3rd party market places, Google's products in general have low switching cost (from gmail, calendar, etc to 3rd party stuff). Their ad network is pretty pervasive there and hard to escape just because of the size and Google's push for AMP on the web when so many were against it does seem like flexing their monopolistic strength.
- fsociety 6y ago
  Facebook forcing Oculus to use Facebook accounts is a small drop in the ocean compared to Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick. I find your take to be disingenuous at best. Now if you talked about Onavo we might be on to something.
uniqueid 6y ago
Facebook seems like the least of the big techs that are the most abusive of monopoly Framing the issue as a competition between asshole companies lets them all off the hook. FB blatantly abuses its monopoly by trying to buy smaller competitors, and if that fails, cloning their products.
- bnjms 6y ago
  Right, but in that case the only action required is to stop them from buying any companies for 12 years. No need for a break up.
tehjoker 6y ago
Facebook is the CIA factbook for the peoples of the world lent out to the business community.

0xB31B1B 6y ago

Facebook is the most anti-competitive of them all IMO. "Monopolist" and "anti-competitive" are overlapping yet distinct legal concepts in antitrust law. Facebook had a well known "buy or bury" strategy where they would either buy their competitors or try to destroy them. What is interesting is that IMO FB has had antitrust pressure before google/apple/amazon and this basically froze FB's M&A teams for the past ~4 years. In this time we have seen 4 new promising independent social media networks arise (tiktok, dispo, clubhouse, substack). IMO without the antitrust pressure against FB the current state of social media would be more consolidated, less likely that these 4 new networks would be independent/growing quickly at this stage.

mimikatz 6y ago
Amazon told diapers.com sell to us or we will sell diapers at below cost until you run out of money. Maybe I am just old and the "real" world seems much more legit than the social media world. Sure Facebook bought a lot of companies, but there isn't a ton they do to smoosh them together. They seem pretty independent. Facebook's ability to kill seems weak. TikTok is still doing well and Reels didn't eat into them. Clubhouse is new and up and coming. Much more competitors than new search engines (which isn't even what Google really is anymore). Apple does have more a variety and mix of competition as well as less market share than the other Tech giants.
- bostonsre 6y ago
  What are facebook acquisitions where the acquired companies have remained independent? Whatsapp, Instagram, and oculus seem like they have been assimilated a good amount. re: tiktok and clubhouse I think the op made a good point about the Facebook m&a spree being put on hold due to their legal troubles a few years back and now can only try to clone/crush competitors now. They cloned tiktok and wouldn't be surprised to hear they have a clubhouse clone in the works.
roenxi 6y ago
> Facebook had a well known "buy or bury" strategy where they would either buy their competitors or try to destroy them. That doesn't make a company monopolistic. Having a strategy that considers competitors and the whole market is just savvy thinking. Monopoly is about the detail of how such a strategy succeeds. It isn't obvious that Facebook has a monopoly.

smegger001 6y ago

except for the whole destroying political discourse in our country accelerating polarization spreading disinformation and acting as a tool of radicalization. not to mention leading to increased rates of depression in it users.

fitblipper 6y ago

Interesting take. From where I sit Facebook appears the most brazen about their anti-competitive practices especially when compared to Google. Their tightly held walled guarden, forcing oculus to use facebook accounts, etc. Android allows 3rd party market places, Google's products in general have low switching cost (from gmail, calendar, etc to 3rd party stuff). Their ad network is pretty pervasive there and hard to escape just because of the size and Google's push for AMP on the web when so many were against it does seem like flexing their monopolistic strength.

fsociety 6y ago
Facebook forcing Oculus to use Facebook accounts is a small drop in the ocean compared to Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick. I find your take to be disingenuous at best. Now if you talked about Onavo we might be on to something.

uniqueid 6y ago

Facebook seems like the least of the big techs that are the most abusive of monopoly Framing the issue as a competition between asshole companies lets them all off the hook. FB blatantly abuses its monopoly by trying to buy smaller competitors, and if that fails, cloning their products.

bnjms 6y ago
Right, but in that case the only action required is to stop them from buying any companies for 12 years. No need for a break up.

tehjoker 6y ago

Facebook is the CIA factbook for the peoples of the world lent out to the business community.