BRUSSELS: The EU fined online giant Meta almost 800 million euros on Thursday for breaching antitrust rules by giving users of its Facebook social network automatic access to classified ads service Facebook Marketplace.

The European Commission said the US tech titan also abused its dominant position by imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers that advertise on its platforms.

“This is illegal under EU antitrust rules. Meta must now stop this behaviour,” the bloc’s competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, said in a statement.

Meta said it would appeal, alleging the decision ignored “the realities of the thriving European market for online classified listing services.

“Facebook users can choose whether or not to engage with Marketplace, and many don’t.