Facebook and Google under investigation for their role in ad market

An investigation was started by the British Competition and Markets Authority into the power wielded by Facebook and Google in digital advertising markets, including the ownership of data, according to Reuters.

The authorities want to reveal how much influence the platforms had, the way they collected and used personal data and whether users were getting a good deal.

Jason Furman, the chief economist in former U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration, was hired last year to lead a group that has to review the country’s approach to digital technology. Thus, they found that tech giants need more competition.

“Much about these fast-changing markets is a closed book to most people. The work we do will open them up to greater scrutiny and should give Parliament and the public a better grip on what global online platforms are doing. These are global markets, so we should and will work more closely than before with authorities around the world, as we all consider new approaches to the challenges posed by them.”, CMA Chairman Andrew Tyrie said.

The CMA said it could make detailed recommendations to the government if it finds evidence that there are problems.