SAN FRANCISCO — The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Federal Trade Commission will lead any antitrust investigation into Facebook as part of an arrangement that would give the Justice Department oversight of Google.
The FTC and the Justice Department both oversee antitrust issues in the U.S. and must establish who will take the lead in different investigations. Citing unnamed sources The Journal said Monday that the FTC secured the rights to begin a potential investigation into whether Facebook engaged in what it called “unlawful monopolistic behavior.”
The report Monday said the Justice Department, in turn, will lead the Google probe.
The FTC is already investigating Facebook for possible privacy violations. The FTC declined to comment Monday and Facebook did not immediately respond to a message for comment.
