Washington: Meta finds itself at the center of a historic legal battle as a high-profile antitrust trial opened Monday in Washington.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to force the breakup of the tech titan’s ownership of Instagram and WhatsApp, claiming the acquisitions crushed competition and harmed consumers.
The FTC’s lawsuit accuses Meta then Facebook of strategically purchasing Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 to eliminate growing rivals.
Though both deals were initially approved, the FTC argues that new evidence, including internal communications from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, shows the acquisitions were part of a deliberate effort to neutralize threats and dominate the digital landscape.
“Better to buy than to compete,” Zuckerberg allegedly wrote in an email, a phrase experts say may be pivotal in court.
The FTC is now demanding that Meta divest the two platforms to restore competitive balance.
Meta maintains it has done nothing wrong. The company argues that Instagram and WhatsApp flourished under its ownership and that users have benefited from enhanced features, security, and global reach.
“The FTC’s lawsuits against Meta defy reality,” a company spokesperson said, emphasizing that the platforms face intense competition from TikTok, YouTube, X, and others.
Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg are expected to testify during the trial, which could last several weeks.
The case also unfolds amid rising political tension. Critics point to Meta’s recent lobbying efforts and the Trump administration’s dismissal of two FTC commissioners as signs of political interference.
With the FTC under pressure and the tech world watching closely, the outcome of FTC v. Meta could redefine the future of Big Tech regulation in the US.
