Facebook and Google allegedly cut a deal that reduced ad competition - Engadget

The New York Times says it has obtained documents from Texas’ antitrust lawsuit elaborating on a “sweetheart deal” (first mentioned by the Wall Street Journal) Google gave to Facebook in 2018, allegedly reducing ad competition.

Facebook had more time to bid for ads, direct billing deals with the sites hosting the ads, and help from Google to understand ad audiences.

A Facebook spokesperson claimed that deals like that with Google “help increase competition” in ad bids, and that arguments to the contrary were “baseless.” A Google spokesperson, meanwhile, said that Texas’ lawsuit “misrepresents” the deal and other aspects of its ad business.