FTC v. Meta: Takeways from A Landmark Trial

In a high-stakes trial before Judge James Boasberg in the District Court for the District of Columbia, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Meta faced off in a long-running antitrust case over whether Meta’s acquisitions of the photo-sharing app Instagram and the messaging service WhatsApp illegally maintained the company’s alleged social media monopoly.

Over nearly seven weeks, the FTC argued that Meta’s acquisitions stifled competition in the cradle to protect its monopoly power in a “personal social networking services” market. Meta countered that it faces robust competition from several social media players that the FTC’s market definition excludes, such as TikTok and YouTube, and that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp have delivered significant benefits to both the companies and American consumers. Did the FTC adequately address the concerns identified in Judge Boasberg’s summary judgment opinion regarding the basis for concluding Meta has a monopoly? Can it sufficiently prove that competition would have been better off had Meta not made the acquisitions? Even if the FTC prevails, should a breakup of Meta really be on the table?

Please join ITIF for a virtual panel with top experts who will discuss this important decision, its implications for the social media landscape, and what it means for Meta as the Trump administration continues its antitrust crusade against “Big Tech.”

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