Facebook faces a potential fine after Brussels accused the social network of misleading it 布鲁塞尔方面谴责Facebook在其190亿美元并购WhatsApp的监管审核过程中展开误导。during the approval process of its $19bn takeover of WhatsApp.这意味著这家社交网络有可能面对罚款。In a statement of objections, the European Commission charged the Silicon Valley group with inaccurately claiming during the 2014 takeover that it was technically impossible to combine user information from Facebook and WhatsApp automatically.欧盟委员会(European Commission)在一份赞成声明中指控，这家硅谷集团在2014年并购期间不精确地声称在技术上不有可能自动拆分Facebook和WhatsApp的用户信息。

Facebook sprang a surprise this year by linking WhatsApp phone numbers with identities on its Facebook service in a change that sparked complaints from users, regulators and rivals.Facebook今年忽然将WhatsApp电话号码与其在Facebook服务上的对应身份联系一起，这一转变引起了用户、监管机构和竞争对手的责怪。The charges mark the boldest reaction by EU authorities to the move. 这些指控标志着欧盟当局对Facebook上述行径做出的最大胆的反应。Data protection agencies across the EU had already attacked the decision, demanding further information, prompting Facebook to halt the process in Europe.欧盟各数据保护机构已对该要求做出反击，拒绝获取更进一步信息，促成Facebook在欧洲暂停数据拆分进程。Margrethe Vestager, EU competition chief, said: Companies are obliged to give the commission accurate information during merger investigations. 欧盟竞争事务专员玛格丽特.维斯特格(Margrethe Vestager)回应：企业有义务在收购调查期间向欧盟委员会获取精确的信息。

They must take this obligation seriously.他们必需认真对待这项义务。Brussels allowed the deal with no conditions attached, in part because of Facebook’s insistence that it was not able to combine user accounts.布鲁塞尔在没附加条件的情况下批准后了这笔交易，部分是因为Facebook否认自己无法拆分用户账户。Facebook said it had behaved properly in the process. Facebook回应，其在审核过程中不道德合理。We respect the commission’s process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith.我们认同欧盟委员会的审核过程，并深信对事实的全面审查会将证实Facebook是诚信行事的。

Although the commission said it would not reverse its decision to approve the deal, it made clear that EU rules allowed fines of up to 1 per cent of global turnover in such cases — which would be roughly $125m, based on Facebook’s 2014 annual revenues.虽然欧盟委员会回应会反败为胜批准后该交易的要求，但明确指出欧盟规则容许在这种情况下缴纳最少相等于全球营业额1%的罚款，基于Facebook 2014年收入，罚款金额约是1.25亿美元。The charges come after a string of competition cases that have ensnared Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. 在Facebook受到指控之前，一连串竞争案件已使谷歌(Google)、亚马逊(Amazon)、苹果(Apple)和微软公司(Microsoft)面对法律困难。These have sparked a diplomatic stand-off between Brussels and Washington, which has accused the EU of singling out US businesses.此类案件引起了布鲁塞尔和华盛顿之间的外交僵持，后者谴责欧盟专门跟美国企业过不去。Facebook had largely avoided becoming ensnared in this regulatory tussle. Facebook此前基本上防止了受到此类监管纠纷株连。

While data protection authorities across Europe have pursued Facebook over privacy issues, the EU’s executive arm had broadly steered clear of the social network.虽然欧洲各地的数据保护部门都在就隐私问题追究责任Facebook的责任，但欧盟执行机构大体上并未理会这家社交网络公司。Facebook notified EU officials of the planned changes to its privacy policy in January, seven months before they were announced publicly. 今年1月，Facebook曾向欧盟官员报告，该公司计划改动隐私政策，7个月后这些政策才被公开发表宣告。The company said the decision was primarily taken to help it compile data, such as on user numbers, more accurately, rather than serve targeted ads.该公司回应，作出这一要求主要是为了更加准确地编撰用户数量等数据，而并非为了投入定向广告。

But the decision triggered immediate concern among regulators. 但这一要求立刻引起了监管机构的忧虑。This year, Ms Vestager warned: That they didn’t merge data wasn’t the decisive factor when the merger was approved, but it was still a part of the decision.维斯特格今年曾警告称之为：拆分获批时，他们所谓的不拆分数据虽然不是决定因素，但仍是该要求的一部分。Facebook said: We’ve consistently provided accurate information about our technical capabilities and plans, including in submissions about the WhatsApp acquisition and in voluntary briefings before WhatsApp’s privacy policy update this year.Facebook回应：我们持之以恒地获取关于我司技术能力和计划的精确信息，还包括并购WhatsApp时递交材料以及在WhatsApp隐私政策今年改版前强迫获取摘要。

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