Suspensions on digital platforms

Immediate assistance with account suspensions and other interventions by Google, Meta, Apple or Amazon.

What are these cases about?

Hausfeld regularly represents companies whose business model is particularly dependent on dominant digital companies. For example, our clients rely on placing advertising via Google Ads or Meta (Facebook and Instagram Ads). Others require unrestricted access to app stores or digital marketplaces in order to distribute their products and services.

Repeatedly, dominant companies enforce measures that affect companies abruptly and threaten their existence. Hausfeld has already won landmark decisions in the relevant area of digital competition law, including cases such as NetDoktor, Immowelt, e-Vignetten, Goliathwatch and Filmwerkstatt Düsseldorf.

What happens in account suspension cases?

Our clients repeatedly report that their business is withdrawn from them from one day to the next without warning. This often happens through a sudden, perplexing account suspension or comparable interventions by companies such as Google, Meta, Apple or Amazon.

The consequences are drastic: a significant decline in sales, existential economic risks, the loss of business relationships and market positions built up over years.

When is the right time to act?

Account suspensions and similar measures often catch companies off guard. In such cases, immediate action is essential. As soon as your economic survival is threatened, you should contact us immediately. In many cases, the only realistic way to obtain a short-term remedy is to file an application for interim relief quickly. As a rule, the courts require that an application be filed with the court within four weeks of becoming aware of the incident.

Delaying the process can mean that the option of interim relief no longer exists and the only remaining option is lengthy court proceedings – a risk that can be avoided.

It is especially important to contact us at an early stage if an account suspension or restriction is only announced, for example, through a planned change to the terms and conditions or platform guidelines. In many cases, it is therefore sensible or even necessary to take legal action before such changes come into effect. Here, too, there is a risk that the courts will require an application to be made to the court within four weeks of becoming aware of the circumstances.

Contact us!

Are you affected by a discriminatory or restrictive practice by a company with a dominant market position? Then get in touch with us. Write a message to our contact persons or leave your contact details at hilfe@hausfeld.com so that we can get back to you immediately.

Cases of this kind require specialised competition law expertise and many years of experience. Our team is ready to provide you with tailored legal support.