11 ms·

Stupid question, maybe, but IANAL: is this even legal? Isn't it illegal to pay others to bury your competitor?

grajaganDev 2y ago
I think it is legal but it risks anti-trust scrutiny. Google pays Apple tens of billions to be the default iPhone search engine - this seems quite similar.
- spencerflem 2y ago
  Or would, if the anti trust people did their jobs
  - grajaganDev 2y ago
    Yup and we will be seeing even less enforcement going forward.
martinky24 2y ago
How is this any different than the a sports league giving exclusive rights to their product to a specific network...?
redeux 2y ago
No it’s definitely not illegal. Companies hire consultants, influencers, contractors all the time to help them improve their product, brand, positioning etc. It could be an issue if the influencers have a contract with TikTok and Meta encourages them to break it. Then it becomes tortious interference. Also, IANAL but I took a business ethics class in college that covered this topic.
ru552 2y ago
Of course it's legal. They offer you money to exclusively post on their platform. Joe Rogan got paid to exclusively podcast on spotify. All of the talking heads on TV news are paid to exclusively be on their specific channel (ABC,NBC,FOX,etc.) The twitch streamer, Ninja, that got paid to move from twitch to Microsft's failed Mixer platform, etc. etc..
- singleshot_ 2y ago
  This is an extremely low-quality answer which in no way correctly represents the complexity underlying the question. GP would need to talk to an antitrust expert to learn more useful information concerning the distinction between being a monopoly, and illegally leveraging monopoly power. I am not such a person, so I’m not going to say more here.
quickthrowman 2y ago
Contracts are a fundamental part of common law, why would it be illegal to enter one? Also, it’s a big leap to prove that exclusive agreements to post on a specific platform is attempting to bury a competitor, TikTok (and every other company) is free to offer exclusivity contracts as well.
IncreasePosts 2y ago
If you phrase it like that, sure. But I'm positive that's not how meta phrased it. Everyone at Meta needs to take a "communicating with care" course every year which exactly trains you to hide your true intentions and not leave a paper trail of anti-competitive statements.

I think it is legal but it risks anti-trust scrutiny. Google pays Apple tens of billions to be the default iPhone search engine - this seems quite similar.

spencerflem 2y ago
Or would, if the anti trust people did their jobs
- grajaganDev 2y ago
  Yup and we will be seeing even less enforcement going forward.

martinky24 2y ago

How is this any different than the a sports league giving exclusive rights to their product to a specific network...?

redeux 2y ago

No it’s definitely not illegal. Companies hire consultants, influencers, contractors all the time to help them improve their product, brand, positioning etc. It could be an issue if the influencers have a contract with TikTok and Meta encourages them to break it. Then it becomes tortious interference. Also, IANAL but I took a business ethics class in college that covered this topic.

ru552 2y ago

Of course it's legal. They offer you money to exclusively post on their platform. Joe Rogan got paid to exclusively podcast on spotify. All of the talking heads on TV news are paid to exclusively be on their specific channel (ABC,NBC,FOX,etc.) The twitch streamer, Ninja, that got paid to move from twitch to Microsft's failed Mixer platform, etc. etc..

singleshot_ 2y ago
This is an extremely low-quality answer which in no way correctly represents the complexity underlying the question. GP would need to talk to an antitrust expert to learn more useful information concerning the distinction between being a monopoly, and illegally leveraging monopoly power. I am not such a person, so I’m not going to say more here.

quickthrowman 2y ago

Contracts are a fundamental part of common law, why would it be illegal to enter one? Also, it’s a big leap to prove that exclusive agreements to post on a specific platform is attempting to bury a competitor, TikTok (and every other company) is free to offer exclusivity contracts as well.

IncreasePosts 2y ago

If you phrase it like that, sure. But I'm positive that's not how meta phrased it. Everyone at Meta needs to take a "communicating with care" course every year which exactly trains you to hide your true intentions and not leave a paper trail of anti-competitive statements.