Facebook breakup would be complete nonstarter: memo leaked ahead of antitrust report

A breakup alone will not eliminate threat FB poses to democracy, public health, privacy, innovation, but it would be a fine place to start.

Splitting them up would be nearly impossible, cost billions of dollars, weaken security and harm user experience, Facebook argued.

The paper also argues that going back on the governments approval of the mergers would send a disquieting message to the business community.

Facebooks argument may yet backfire, however, as deliberately integrating the messaging and photo-sharing apps to prevent competition or forestall antitrust measures could bolster the governments case for a break-up, noted one critic, Rutgers professor Michael Carrier.

The FTC has reportedly been preparing a complaint against Facebook, and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg is suddenly finding himself with few friends in Washington.

Republicans, meanwhile, accuse Facebook of trying to appease liberal critics by censoring, banning or blocking posts made by conservatives. Once considered an asset, Facebooks massive reach and outsized influence on US politics, real or imagined seems to have transformed into a liability.

Last week, Facebook announced new rules on whats allowed in election ads, within a day of receiving an angry letter from Joe Bidens campaign about allowing misinformation ostensibly pushed by President Trump.

Original article