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Is Facebook violating antitrust protections? Attorney General Herring is investigating.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is prioritizing antitrust enforcement. To do this, he's investigating Facebook for possible violations.

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said he's committed to enforcing antitrust protections and he's proving it.

On Tuesday, Herring announced he joined a bipartisan coalition of 47 attorneys general investigating Facebook's business practices to examine compliance with state and federal antitrust laws.

“Big tech and social media companies, like Facebook, must comply with antitrust laws that promote competition and choice and consumer protection laws that guard the privacy and personal data of users,” said Attorney General Herring. “Given Facebook’s nearly unprecedented influence in so many sectors of the economy and political process, this bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is committed to ensuring that Facebook is complying with the law and meeting its obligations.”

As part of his commitment to antitrust protections, Herring serves on the Antitrust Committee of the National Association of Attorneys General and his Antitrust Unit Manager serves as the chair for the National Association of Attorneys General Antitrust Taskforce.

Herring also recently announced he is investigating Google's business practices to examine compliance with state and federal antitrust laws and filed suit to block a proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint because of its potential to reduce choice, eliminate competition, and raise prices on cell phone service.

He also filed two lawsuits against generic drug manufacturers for antitrust violations that raised the cost of prescription drugs and suid the maaker of Suboxone, an opioid treatment medication, for illegally keeping monopoly profits.

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