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Meta’s Antitrust Trial Sparks Tension with Rivals

In the ongoing antitrust trial involving Meta, tensions flared between the company and its competitors Apple, Google, and Snap. Lawyers for these firms expressed their discontent regarding slides presented by Meta that reportedly contained easily removable redactions, as reported by The Verge.

Representatives from Apple and Snap labeled Meta’s handling of sensitive information as “egregious.” An Apple attorney raised concerns about the future trustworthiness of Meta with internal data after these revelations. Google’s legal counsel also criticized Meta, claiming that the company’s oversights compromised the security of their information.

Details of these exchanges were reported from the courtroom by The Verge’s Lauren Feiner. Responses from the involved companies, including Meta, Apple, and Google, have not been forthcoming, while Snap opted to refrain from any comments.

Feeling the heat, Snap’s attorney condemned Meta’s “cavalier approach” to the proceedings, implying that if the roles were reversed, Meta would ensure stricter redactions. In light of the situation, Meta attorney Mark Hansen proposed the involvement of a neutral third party to manage future redactions, suggesting a way to mitigate conflict.

Prior to the redaction controversy, Snap had already expressed dissatisfaction over the disclosure of what it considered confidential information during opening statements, although specific details about this information were not shared. Hansen countered, asserting that nothing disclosed in their opening was confidential, a stance that Snap’s representatives disputed.

When asked why Snap was not informed ahead of time about the included information, Hansen explained that giving Snap advance notice could compromise the trial, as the company is currently cooperating with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and is considered a significant competitor.

The documents in question, while revealing unauthorized insights, did not contain particularly sensational details. Notably, one segment indicated that iPhone users favor Apple’s Messages app over those from Meta and Snap. Another slide, titled “Snapchat in 2020: Competitors Are Succeeding and Not Just Meta Apps,” acknowledged that Snapchat’s rivals, including apps from Meta and TikTok, were performing well in the market.

For Snap and the other companies involved, the crux of the issue was less about the potency of the revealed information and more about the principle of confidentiality. Snap’s legal representative accused Meta’s lead attorney of carelessly referencing sensitive competitive assessments that were meant to remain private.

Source
www.theverge.com