Meta Faces April Trial Over FTC Antitrust Allegations

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is set to face a courtroom battle in April over allegations brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp to stifle competition, according to Reuters. The trial date has been set for April 14 by a Washington judge, marking a pivotal moment in the antitrust case that has been ongoing since 2020.

The FTC initially filed the lawsuit during the Trump administration, accusing Meta, then operating as Facebook, of using its 2012 purchase of Instagram and its 2014 acquisition of WhatsApp to eliminate rising threats rather than competing on a level playing field. The agency alleges these actions were part of a broader strategy to maintain its monopoly in the personal social networking space.

Meta had sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that the FTC’s claims relied on an overly narrow view of the social media market. The company contended that the lawsuit overlooked significant competition from platforms like ByteDance’s TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Microsoft’s LinkedIn. However, Judge James Boasberg rejected Meta’s argument earlier this month, allowing the case to proceed.

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Boasberg acknowledged the challenges the FTC faces in defining the social media market. In his November 13 ruling, he remarked that the case raises “serious challenges” for the Commission’s claims, noting that the rapid evolution of technology and market dynamics complicates the issue. The judge added that the FTC’s positions test the boundaries of established antitrust laws, which may not fully account for the complexities of the digital age.

Source: Reuters