EU opens antitrust probe into Facebook over advertisers' data

The European Commission has opened an antitrust probe into Facebook's use of data gathered from advertisers to see whether it gives it an unfair advantage in the online classifieds market.

"We will look in detail at whether this data gives Facebook an undue competitive advantage in particular on the online classified ads sector... where Facebook also competes with companies from which it collects data," the EU commissioner for competition, Margrethe Vestager said.

Meanwhile, Britain's competition regulator is also investigating Facebook to determine whether the network is abusing its dominant position in social media or digital advertising through its collection and use of data, it said on Friday.

The Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into whether Facebook holds an unfair advantage in areas such as online classified ads and online dating, in the way it gathers and uses data.

Facebook collects data when businesses advertise to its users and via its single sign-on option which enables people to sign into other websites using their Facebook log-in details.

"We will be working closely with the European Commission as we each investigate these issues, as well as continuing our coordination with other agencies to tackle these global issues," CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli said.