More attorneys general join Facebook probe

Forty-seven attorneys general have joined onto the recently announced antitrust investigation into Facebook, the New York attorney general’s office announced Tuesday, super-charging a probe that comes amid broader scrutiny of Big Tech by the U.S. government.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that a broad range of states, represented by both Democratic and Republican attorneys general, will participate in probing Facebook’s market dominance and business practices over the next several months.

The investigation has grown significantly since James launched the probe in June with then just seven other attorneys general.

“After continued bipartisan conversations with attorneys general from around the country, today I am announcing that we have vastly expanded the list of states, districts, and territories investigating Facebook for potential antitrust violations,” James said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Our investigation now has the support of 47 attorneys general from around the nation, who are all concerned that Facebook may have put consumer data at risk, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, and increased the price of advertising,” she said. “As we continue our investigation, we will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook’s actions stifled competition and put users at risk.”