Facebook面臨歐盟1.25億美元罰款

Facebook faces a potential fine after Brussels accused the social network of misleading it

布魯塞爾方面指責Facebook在其190億美元收購WhatsApp的監管審批過程中進行誤導。

during the approval process of its $19bn takeover of WhatsApp.

這意味着這家社交網絡可能面臨罰款。

In a statement of objections, the European Commission charged the ¬Silicon Valley group with inaccurately claiming during the 2014 takeover that it was technically impossible to combine user information from Facebook and WhatsApp automatically.

歐盟委員會(European Commission)在一份反對聲明中指控，這家硅谷集團在2014年收購期間不準確地聲稱在技術上不可能自動合併Facebook和WhatsApp的用戶信息。

Facebook sprang a surprise this year by linking WhatsApp phone numbers with identities on its Facebook service in a change that sparked complaints from users, regulators and rivals.

Facebook今年突然將WhatsApp電話號碼與其在Facebook服務上的對應身份聯繫起來，這一改變引發了用戶、監管機構和競爭對手的抱怨。

The charges mark the boldest reaction by EU authorities to the move.

這些指控標誌着歐盟當局對Facebook上述舉動作出的最大膽的反應。

Data protection agencies across the EU had already attacked the decision, demanding further information, prompting Facebook to halt the process in Europe.

歐盟各數據保護機構已對該決定作出攻擊，要求提供進一步信息，促使Facebook在歐洲停止數據合併進程。

Margrethe Vestager, EU competition chief, said: Companies are obliged to give the commission accurate information during merger investigations.

歐盟競爭事務專員瑪格麗特.維斯特格(Margrethe Vestager)表示：企業有義務在併購調查期間向歐盟委員會提供準確的信息。

They must take this obligation seriously.

他們必須認真對待這項義務。

Brussels allowed the deal with no ¬conditions attached, in part because of Facebook’s insistence that it was not able to combine user accounts.

布魯塞爾在沒有附加條件的情況下批准了這筆交易，部分是因爲Facebook堅稱自己無法合併用戶賬戶。

Facebook said it had behaved properly in the process.

Facebook表示，其在審批過程中行爲恰當。

We respect the commission’s process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith.

我們尊重歐盟委員會的審批過程，並深信對事實的全面審議將證實Facebook是誠信行事的。

Although the commission said it would not reverse its decision to approve the deal, it made clear that EU rules allowed fines of up to 1 per cent of global turnover in such cases — which would be roughly $125m, based on Facebook’s 2014 annual revenues.

雖然歐盟委員會表示不會逆轉批准該交易的決定，但明確指出歐盟規則允許在這種情況下收取至多相當於全球營業額1%的罰款，基於Facebook 2014年收入，罰款金額大約是1.25億美元。

The charges come after a string of competition cases that have ensnared Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

在Facebook受到指控之前，一連串競爭案件已使谷歌(Google)、亞馬遜(Amazon)、蘋果(Apple)和微軟(Microsoft)面臨法律麻煩。

These have sparked a diplomatic stand-off between Brussels and Washington, which has accused the EU of singling out US businesses.

此類案件引發了布魯塞爾和華盛頓之間的外交對峙，後者指責歐盟專門跟美國企業過不去。

Facebook had largely avoided becoming ensnared in this regulatory tussle.

Facebook此前基本上避免了受到此類監管糾紛牽連。

While data protection authorities across Europe have pursued Facebook over privacy issues, the EU’s executive arm had broadly steered clear of the social network.

雖然歐洲各地的數據保護部門都在就隱私問題追究Facebook的責任，但歐盟執行機構大體上未理會這家社交網絡公司。

Facebook notified EU officials of the planned changes to its privacy policy in January, seven months before they were announced publicly.

今年1月，Facebook曾向歐盟官員報告，該公司計劃修改隱私政策，7個月後這些政策才被公開宣佈。

The company said the decision was primarily taken to help it compile data, such as on user numbers, more accurately, rather than serve targeted ads.

該公司表示，做出這一決定主要是爲了更精確地彙編用戶數量等數據，而並非爲了投放定向廣告。

But the decision triggered immediate concern among regulators.

但這一決定立即引發了監管機構的擔憂。

This year, Ms Vestager warned: That they didn’t merge data wasn’t the decisive factor when the merger was approved, but it was still a part of the decision.

維斯特格今年曾警告稱：合併獲批時，他們所謂的不合並數據雖然不是決定因素，但仍是該決定的一部分。

Facebook said: We’ve consistently provided accurate information about our technical capabilities and plans, including in submissions about the WhatsApp acquisition and in voluntary briefings before WhatsApp’s privacy policy update this year.

Facebook表示：我們持之以恆地提供關於我司技術能力和計劃的準確信息，包括收購WhatsApp時提交材料以及在WhatsApp隱私政策今年更新前自願提供簡報。