Meta in Delhi HC: Facebook Marketplace is not Amazon or Flipkart, no IT ministry rules violated

Meta Platforms assailed in the Delhi High Court today (Wednesday, March 18) a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) order imposing a Rs 10 lakh penalty on the company for alleged unauthorised sale and listing of walkie-talkies on the Facebook Marketplace. Appearing for Meta, Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Arvind Datar submitted that Facebook Marketplace is fundamentally different from platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, describing it as a digital notice board where users independently connect, without the platform facilitating commercial transactions or charging fees. Rohatgi argued in the court that Facebook neither provides a mechanism for sale and purchase nor does it charge any commission from the users.

“We are not providing a virtual Khan Market. This is a notice board meant only for Facebook users.