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The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a major antitrust trial against Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), accusing the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp to eliminate competition. FTC attorney Daniel Matheson argued that Meta’s strategy created high entry barriers, locking users into its ecosystem without viable alternatives. The agency aims to force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp to restore competition in the social media space.
Originally filed during President Donald Trump's first term, the case has gained renewed attention under the current Trump administration, which has pledged to rein in Big Tech. Meta, which generates over half of its U.S. ad revenue from Instagram alone, faces an existential threat if the FTC prevails. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, with emails indicating that he saw Instagram and WhatsApp as potential threats when acquiring them in 2012 and 2014.
Meta contends that the acquisitions have benefited consumers and that the social media landscape has evolved, citing TikTok, YouTube, and Apple’s iMessage as major competitors. However, the FTC maintains that platforms like TikTok serve different user needs and are not interchangeable with Facebook or Instagram, which focus on connecting friends and family.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg acknowledged that the FTC faces a difficult burden of proof. If the agency wins the initial phase, it must still demonstrate that breaking up Meta would effectively restore competition.
The case is one of several antitrust lawsuits against tech giants, including Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL). Losing Instagram could be financially devastating for Meta, with research estimating it will earn over $37 billion in 2025—more than half of the company’s U.S. ad revenue.
