Facebook Risks Double Trouble as Europe Reins in Tech M&A

Facebook Inc.’s latest M&A plans risk double trouble as European deals watchdogs belatedly wake up to Silicon Valley’s taste for tiny acquisitions below the antitrust radar.

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office said Friday it’s jumping on a Facebook deal that the European Union is already reviewing -- the acquisition of New York-based customer-service software firm Kustomer Inc.

The extra oversight comes as regulators seek to shake off lingering regrets for failing to clamp down on transactions such as Facebook’s game-changing takeover of photo site Instagram.

Fed up with the situation, the EU’s antitrust arm, led by Margrethe Vestager, made ...