Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has asked a U.S. federal judge to dismiss the antitrust case filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC accuses Meta of creating a monopoly in the social media world through its purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta claims that the FTC has not provided strong enough proof to support the allegations.
The trial, which began in April in Washington, is still ongoing. Meta hopes the judge will make an early decision based on the evidence so far, but it’s possible the judge may wait until the trial ends in June before ruling. Meta is currently presenting its side of the story.
According to the FTC, Meta bought Instagram and WhatsApp to eliminate growing competition. They pointed to emails from CEO Mark Zuckerberg showing concern about the rising popularity of those apps. However, Meta responded by saying WhatsApp never planned to become a direct rival in the social networking space, and that Instagram actually grew after the acquisition.
Meta also argued that the FTC failed to prove a clear difference between its apps and other social platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Meta believes all social apps are fighting for users’ attention by offering the most engaging content, whether the content is shared among friends or strangers.
The FTC sees platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and X as different from Facebook and Instagram because they focus more on public content rather than personal updates. Meta disagrees and insists that these platforms still compete for the same user attention.
If the judge rejects Meta’s request to dismiss the case now, both sides will submit final arguments after Meta finishes presenting its evidence. If the court finds that Meta has an illegal monopoly, there could be a second trial to decide what actions should be taken against the company.
