Progress

Current status
concluded
30 Jun 2023 concluded
06 Jan 2023 in force
30 Dec 2022 processing consultation
01 Dec 2022 in consultation
18 Oct 2022 in force
29 Jul 2022 processing consultation
18 Jul 2022 in consultation
15 Jul 2022 under investigation
14 Jun 2022 under investigation
04 Feb 2022 in force
23 Dec 2021 under appeal
30 Nov 2021 in force
20 Oct 2021 in force
02 Sep 2021 processing consultation
25 Aug 2021 processing consultation
12 Aug 2021 in consultation
28 Jan 2021 under deliberation

Scope

Implementers
United Kingdom
Policy Area
Competition
Policy Instrument
Merger control regulation
Regulated Economic Activity
platform intermediary: user-generated content
Government Branch
executive
Government Body
competition authority
consumer protection authority
Implementation Level
national

Timeline of events

30 Jun 2023
concluded

Closed CMA Investigation into Facebook/Giphy merger

On 30 June 2023, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) closed its investigation into the Facebook(Meta)/Giphy merger. The CMA issued its final order in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation on 6 January 2023, deciding that the Facebook/Gi…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type closure
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
06 Jan 2023
in force

Issued CMA's final order in Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 6 January 2023, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued its final order in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation (pursuant to section 84 of the Enterprise Act 2002). In particular, in its Final Order, the CMA decided, after consid…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type ruling
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
30 Dec 2022
processing consultation

Closed consultation on CMA's final order in Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 30 December 2022, the public consultation on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Final Order pursuant to section 84 of the Enterprise Act 2002 in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation, closed. In particular, in its Final Order the CMA d…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation closed
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
01 Dec 2022
in consultation

Opened consultation on CMA's final order in Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 1 December 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a public consultation on its Final Order pursuant to section 84 of the Enterprise Act 2002 in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation, until 30 December 2022. In particular, in i…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation opened
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
18 Oct 2022
in force

Issued final report on the Remittal Inquiry final ruling in CMA's remittal of Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 18 October 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued its final decision to conclude the remittal process of the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation. The CMA decided, after considering all evidence from both the original and remitta…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type ruling
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
29 Jul 2022
processing consultation

Consultation closed on CMA's remittal of Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 29 July 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has closed the consultation on the provisional findings in its remittal of its decision in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation. The remittal was ordered by the Competition Appeal Tribu…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation closed
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
18 Jul 2022
in consultation

Consultation opened on CMA's remittal of Facebook/Giphy merger investigation

On 18 July 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a notice of its provisional findings on the remittal of its decision in the Facebook/Giphy merger investigation and opened a public consultation. The remittal was ordered by the Com…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation opened
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
15 Jul 2022
under investigation

Remittal ordered by Tribunal in Facebook's (Meta) appeal of CMA's order to sell Giphy

On 15 July 2022, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) issued a remittal order sending back to the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) the Meta/Giphy merger case for further consideration. The CAT found that CMA failed to consult Facebook with…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type interim ruling
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
14 Jun 2022
under investigation

Judgment issued in Facebook's (Meta) appeal of CMA's order to sell Giphy

On 14 June 2022, the Competition Appeal Tribunal has issued its judgments in the Meta Platforms, Inc's (previously Facebook, Inc) appeal against the CMA's imposition to sell Giphy, which had been acquired by Facebook in May 2020. Meta appealed the C…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type interim ruling
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
04 Feb 2022
in force

Facebook fined £1.5 million for breach of an order by the CMA

On 4 February 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it has fined Meta Platforms, previously Facebook, for GBP 1.5 million over its noncompliance with a previous enforcement order issued on 9 June 2020. The fine was imposed…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type ruling
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
23 Dec 2021
under appeal

Facebook (Meta) appeals CMA's order to sell Giphy

On 23 December 2021, Meta Platforms, Inc (previously Facebook, Inc) appealed the CMA's imposition to sell Giphy, which had been acquired by Facebook in May 2020. Meta is appealing the CMA's decision on six grounds, including that Giphy would not hav…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type appeal
Government branch executive
Government body consumer protection authority
30 Nov 2021
in force

Facebook (Meta) ordered to sell Giphy

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concludes that the acquisition of Giphy by Facebook would reduce competition between social media platforms. Therefore, the solution is Facebook selling Giphy to an approved buyer. In particular, the CMA n…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type ruling
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
20 Oct 2021
in force

Facebook fined £50.5 million during ongoing merger inquiry for breach of an order by the CMA

On 20 October 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined Facebook for non-compliance with an order issued by the CMA. Specifically, the CMA issued an initial enforcement order (IEO) in June 2020, when it began its investigation into the…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type ruling
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
02 Sep 2021
processing consultation

Consultation on provisional findings by CMA on Facebook/Giphy merger closes

The CMA closed the consultation to its provisional findings on 2 September 2021 after closing the consultation to its notice of possible remedies on 25 August 2021. On 12 August 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced provisional…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation closed
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
25 Aug 2021
processing consultation

Consultation on possible remedies by CMA on Facebook/Giphy merger closes

The CMA closed the consultation to its notice of possible remedies on 25 August 2021 after having closed the consultation to its provisional findings on 2 September 2021. On 12 August 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced provi…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation closed
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
12 Aug 2021
in consultation

Provisional findings after phase 2 investigation into Facebook/Giphy merger including opening of two consultation periods

On 12 August 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced provisional findings of their in-depth investigation into the merger between Facebook Inc. and Giphy Inc. The findings include several concerns about the potentially harmful ef…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type consultation opened
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority
28 Jan 2021
under deliberation

Launch of Facebook/Giphy merger inquiry by the CMA

On 28 January 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the launch of an inquiry into the merger between Facebook Inc. and Giphy Inc. This marks the start of a phase 1 investigation that could be followed by a phase 2 investigation…

Source
Event type investigation
Action type announcement
Government branch executive
Government body competition authority