London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Meta appealing UK ruling ordering it to sell Giphy

Meta appealing UK ruling ordering it to sell Giphy

Facebook owner says British watchdog's 'decision to block the deal is wrong on the law and the facts'

Facebook owner Meta Platforms, Inc. says it is appealing a United Kingdom watchdog's ruling ordering the social media giant to sell New York-based animated picture platform Giphy over antitrust concerns.

Last month, Britain's Competition and Markets Authority ordered Meta to unwind its reportedly $400 million acquisition of Giphy, which was completed in May of 2020 while Meta was still named Facebook.

In this photo illustration a Giphy logo is seen on a smartphone screen with a Facebook logo in the background. 


CMA argued that through its ownership of Giphy, Meta "would be able to increase its already significant market power in relation to other social media platforms" by "denying or limiting other platforms' access to Giphy GIFs, driving more traffic to [Meta]-owned sites – Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram – which already account for 73% of user time spent on social media in the UK." The watchdog had previously argued that the only other major GIF-provider is Google's Tenor.

Meta is now pushing back against the order.

"We are appealing the CMA’s GIPHY decision and will seek a stay of the CMA’s order to divest," the social media giant said in a statement on Thursday.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a live-streamed virtual and augmented reality conference to announce the rebrand of Facebook as Meta, in this screen grab taken from a video released October 28, 2021.


"The decision to block the deal is wrong on the law and the facts, and the evidence does not support the CMA's conclusions or remedy," Meta's statement continues, arguing, "Together, Meta and GIPHY would improve GIPHY’s product for the millions of people, businesses, developers and API partners in the UK and around the world who use GIPHY every day, providing more choices for everyone."

A person familiar with the deal told FOX Business that Giphy approached Facebook (and other potential buyers) about being acquired, not the other way around.

The CMA's move was unprecedented not only because it was the first time the antitrust watchdog has demanded the break-up of a tech acquisition, but it raised alarms for American business groups who question the U.K. government's authority to step in on a deal between U.S. companies.

(L) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (Photo by Tom Nicholson-WPA Pool/Getty Images) (R) Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Meta.


"This foreign action to block acquisition activity of two U.S.-based companies is unprecedented, and startling," Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council president and CEO Karen Kerrigan said in a statement following CMA's ruling.

"America’s dynamic and productive startup ecosystem is the jewel of the global marketplace, and the U.K.’s bold overreach directly undermines our innovative and investment environment," Kerrigan continued. "This is a serious matter for the Biden Administration and Congress to address, as the U.K. Competition and Market Authority’s action could snowball and cause disruption for a broad range of U.S. sectors, as well as the health of global entrepreneurship and functioning of capital markets."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×