FTC files slimmed-down complaint in fight with Meta over Within acquisition

The amended complaint focuses on the virtual reality dedicated exercise app market

October 08, 2022 11:15 am | Updated 02:53 pm IST - WASHINGTON

The amended complaint in FTC’s fight with Meta over the acquisition of Within focuses on the virtual reality dedicated exercise app market

The amended complaint in FTC’s fight with Meta over the acquisition of Within focuses on the virtual reality dedicated exercise app market | Photo Credit: Reuters

Antitrust enforcers who have asked a federal judge to stop Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc from buying virtual reality content maker Within filed a shorter version of their complaint on Friday.

(For insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today’s Cache.)

The Federal Trade Commission had filed a lawsuit in July saying that Meta's acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc would "tend to create a monopoly" in the market for virtual reality-dedicated fitness apps.

The amended complaint focuses on the virtual reality dedicated exercise app market. One of these apps is Within's Supernatural, which is available only on Meta's VR devices. It argues that the proposed deal would "substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly" in that market.

The complaint drops allegations related to the broader VR fitness app market which also includes dance apps and others that encourage physical activity but are not purely focused on exercise.

Meta, which has said it would fight the lawsuit, said, "What remains of the FTC's case are speculative claims that continue to lack support in either the facts or the law."

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.