March 14 (Reuters) – E-commerce system eBay Inc (EBAY.O) on Monday questioned a U.S. judge to block a bid by Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) for testimony from an eBay corporate official as the social media giant seeks rivals’ data to counter a Federal Trade Fee antitrust lawsuit.
EBay’s attorneys from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan claimed in a filing in San Francisco federal courtroom that Meta is demanding private small business facts about eBay’s privacy insurance policies, facts retention and other topics that are not relevant to the FTC’s monopoly promises.
The subpoena combat is the latest flashpoint in Meta’s marketing campaign to squeeze facts from other technological innovation and social media firms in advance of a feasible demo up coming 12 months towards the FTC.
Meta has confronted some resistance from other providers that explained its requires for data were being also broad or invasive. In November, a judge ruled Sequoia Money could not quash subpoenas from Meta trying to get information and facts about how the venture cash agency analyzed the photo-sharing web-site Instagram and the messaging assistance WhatsApp in advance of Meta purchased them.
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“Meta’s discovery gluttony confirms its request of eBay is not worthy of the load Meta seeks to impose,” eBay’s lawyers told the California court. “The breadth of the subpoena,” they reported, “is alarming.”
A Meta spokesperson explained in a assertion that the business is “seeking info from businesses with which we compete or which we believe have data relating to the FTC’s claims.”
The FTC sued Meta in D.C. federal court in 2020, accusing the enterprise of abusing its electricity in the “particular social networking providers” marketplace. The lawsuit seeks to force Meta to provide the photograph-sharing application Instagram and messaging platform WhatsApp.
Meta has denied the FTC’s antitrust allegations. Amid other defenses, it disputes the FTC’s asserted “personal social networking services” current market.
EBay’s Quinn Emanuel lawyers derided Meta as a “litigant that has fully disregarded the bounds of explanation and proportionality” in seeking details from third functions.
A representative from eBay and its lawyers at Quinn Emanuel did not instantly answer to requests for comment.
The FTC declined to remark.
Attorneys for eBay contend the organization isn’t going to compete with Meta on social networking but does confront off around the Fb Market e-commerce services.
EBay said it has by now disclosed practically 2,500 pages of internal information to Meta.
But the firm claimed it “must not be compelled to divulge further more private information to a competitor absent a distinct exhibiting the information will be applicable and needed, which is not the circumstance in this article.”
The case is Federal Trade Commission v. Meta Platforms Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 3:23-mc-80074.
For Meta: Michael Scheinkman of Davis Polk & Wardwell
For eBay: David Grable and Seth Fortenbery of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
For FTC: Daniel Matheson
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Satisfy the Large Regulation alum foremost the FTC’s lawsuit versus Facebook
Reporting by Mike Scarcella
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