Facebook-Giphy mergerUK Competition and Markets Authorityantitrust agency interventionbig tech acquisitiondigital sector mergers
Figures from the paper
Abstract (AI)
Abstract I examine the Facebook-Giphy merger which the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked in 2022. The CMA’s decision marks the first time that an antitrust agency has blocked a big tech acquisition and suggests that at least some antitrust agencies are willing to take a tougher stance on mergers in the digital sector. The decision has a number of interesting features that I discuss in the paper.
Key Findings
1
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked Facebook's acquisition of Giphy in 2022.
2
The blocking indicates some antitrust agencies are adopting a tougher stance on digital-sector mergers.
3
The paper discusses several notable features of the CMA's decision regarding the Facebook–Giphy merger.
4
This CMA decision was the first instance of an antitrust agency blocking a big tech acquisition.
Research Object
The Facebook–Giphy merger
Research Subject
The UK Competition and Markets Authority's decision to block the merger and its implications for antitrust enforcement of big tech acquisitions in the digital sector
Publication Details
Publication Date
2025-12-06
Journal
Publisher
ISSN
Cited by
0
Open access PDF
Access Type
Author Information
Download PDF
Subscribe to digest