Meta Antitrust Trial Begins as Zuckerberg’s Settlement Offers Revealed

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is facing intensified regulatory scrutiny as its high-stakes antitrust trial officially begins. Court documents and insider reports have revealed that CEO Mark Zuckerberg attempted to settle the case multiple times before the trial kicked off.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Zuckerberg made a direct $450 million settlement proposal to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson in late March—far below the agency’s original $30 billion demand. The FTC rejected the offer, calling it insufficient in light of Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which are central to the antitrust allegations.

Zuckerberg, who has maintained close ties with President Donald Trump, had reportedly hoped political alignment would influence the case. Past efforts to curry favor included a $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration and a $25 million lawsuit settlement. Still, these attempts failed to sway the FTC, which insisted on a minimum $18 billion payout along with a consent decree.

Meta increased its offer to nearly $1 billion, backed by stronger lobbying, but the FTC stood firm. The case proceeded to trial, and Zuckerberg was compelled to testify for four hours—marking a key moment in the legal battle over Meta’s market dominance.

The trial also brought new revelations to light. In 2018, Meta considered spinning off Instagram due to concerns that its growth was cannibalizing Facebook’s user base. Another disclosure revealed that in 2013, Meta was willing to acquire Snapchat for $6 billion, further highlighting its long-standing strategy to eliminate competition.

The ongoing proceedings underscore the FTC’s push to rein in Big Tech monopolies, with Meta now at the forefront of a precedent-setting antitrust case that could reshape the digital landscape.