March 27, 2024 at 11:34AM
Meta, formerly Facebook, allegedly ran Project Ghostbusters through its acquisition Onavo to intercept data from mobile apps, including Snapchat, and used it to damage competitors’ ad business. This allegedly involved installing a research app to monitor users’ activity. Lawsuits accuse Meta of anticompetitive behavior, including manipulating ad prices and using machine learning to track and identify users.
The meeting notes describe how Meta, formerly Facebook, allegedly initiated a program called Project Ghostbusters to spy on rival Snapchat and intercept data traffic from mobile apps. The program was run by Onavo, a company acquired by Facebook in 2013 and described by the US Federal Trade Commission as a “user surveillance company.” Onavo developed a research app that monitored smartphone usage and allowed Facebook to intercept and analyze panel participants’ internet usage. This data interception scheme, part of a larger initiative known as Facebook’s In-App Action Panel (IAAP) program, is alleged to have intercepted data from Snapchat, YouTube, Amazon, and possibly Twitter. The program was criticized internally for its implications regarding consent and legality. Additionally, there are allegations that Meta’s use of machine learning and AI may have been central to anticompetitive behavior and deception. Both advertisers and the Federal Trade Commission have brought lawsuits against Meta/Facebook in relation to these activities. The lawsuits are ongoing, with the advertiser case potentially reaching trial by 2025 if there is no prior settlement.