# Italy probes Meta over abuse of position in music rights case
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-04-05
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Italian Antitrust Authority Investigates Meta Platform Over
Meta Description: Italy's antitrust regulator announced an investigation into Meta Platform for possible abuse of its position in talks over music rights, potentially
URL: https://financedigest.com/italy-probes-meta-over-abuse-of-position-in-music-rights-casehtml

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MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s antitrust authority said on Wednesday it would investigate Meta Platform over the possible abuse of its position in talks over the rights to music posted on Meta’s platforms and potentially hurting competition in the sector.

The dispute involved the Italian society of authors and publishers, SIAE.

According to the antitrust regulator, Mark Zuckerberg’s company may have “unduly interrupted the negotiations for the stipulation of the licence for the use on its platforms” of SIAE’s music rights, it said in a statement.

Meta interrupted talks for the renewal of expired contracts by eliminating SIAE-protected music content from its [social platforms](https://www.financedigest.com/twitter-social-platforms-could-see-spike-in-election-misinformation.html "Twitter, social platforms could see spike in election misinformation"), but didn’t provide the required information to SIAE to negotiate under the “principle of fairness and transparency,” the regulator said.

Its conduct could hurt competition in the relevant markets and [“cause serious damage](https://www.financedigest.com/flood-most-damaging-peril-of-2016-causing-nearly-one-third-of-210bn-global-economic-losses-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Flood most damaging peril of 2016, causing nearly one-third of 0bn global economic losses – according to Aon catastrophe report") to consumers,” it added.

Last month, Meta, which owns Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, [failed to reach a deal](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-g7-fails-to-reach-intervention-deal-to-ease-pain-of-soaring-dollar.html "Analysis-G7 fails to reach intervention deal to ease pain of soaring dollar") with SIAE to renew the copyright license. As a result, all songs under SIAE’s books have been blocked on its platforms since March 16.

“We will fully cooperate with the inquiry from the Italian Competition Authority. Protecting the copyrights of songwriters and artists is an important priority for us,” a spokesperson for Meta said on Wednesday.

The investigation involves [Meta Platforms](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-to-wind-down-nfts-on-platforms-amid-crypto-bust.html "Meta to wind down NFTs on platforms amid crypto bust") Inc, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Meta Platforms Technologies UK Limited and Facebook Italy S.r.l.

(Reporting by Alessia Pé; editing by Gavin Jones and Bernadette Baum)


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