Facebook's WhatsApp deal is under EU investigation

The EU is investigating whether Facebook's big bucks purchase of the immensely popular WhatsApp is good for the public, and will decide by the beginning of next month whether it ratifies the deal. Facebook's $16 billion purchase - equivalent to £9.5bn or AU$17.7b at the time - was announced back in February, but the deal has yet to be rubber stamped by the European Union. It could decide that the purchase holds no problem for its citizens or it could either demand concessions or launch a full review, depending on the feedback it gets from third parties who also provide messaging apps and the phone companies themselves.Survey says...Reuters has seen the survey that is being sent out and it alludes to the potential antitrust problems that the EU sees - asking if the deal will lead to price increases or the deterrent of innovation and if the app could replace other services such as SMS and emails. Back in february Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg suggested WhatsApp was the "clear global leader" despite big local rivals in Asian territories. He also suggested that WhatsApp would continue to operate independently and not simply be merged into Facebook's current messaging system. So what attracted Facebook to the immensely successful WhatsApp?

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