Google supports “regulation that benefits
people, businesses and society,” said the
company’s vice president for U.K. & Ireland,
Ronan Harris. “We’ll continue to work
constructively with regulatory authorities and
Government on these important areas so that
everyone can make the most of the web.”
Facebook noted it faced “significant competition”
from Google, Apple, Snap, Twitter, Amazon, and
newer players like TikTok, and looked forward to
“engaging with U.K. government bodies on rules
that protect consumers.”
Google and Facebook are already facing
increased scrutiny of their ad businesses in the
U.S. after two groups of state attorneys general
launched separate investigations last year.
One probe is examining whether Google’s ad
business is engaging in monopolistic behavior
while the other is looking into Facebook for
alleged antitrust issues, including whether its
actions increased the price of advertising.