Meta Platforms is at the center of a landmark monopoly trial in Washington, D.C., as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeks to force a breakup of the tech giant over its past acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
The FTC alleges that Meta, formerly Facebook, unfairly stifled competition by purchasing rising competitors, effectively dominating the social media market.
Landmark Monopoly Trial Over Instagram and WhatsApp Purchases
The trial, held at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. District Court, marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate about Big Tech’s influence and market power.
It could have major implications for how future tech mergers are evaluated and challenged by federal regulators.
In court, the FTC presented a 2012 internal email from Zuckerberg to then-COO Sheryl Sandberg stating, “Instagram is growing so much faster than us that we had to buy them for $1 billion.”
At the time, Facebook was developing its own rival called Facebook Camera but struggled to gain traction.
