Overview

• The FTC is seeking to force Meta to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, alleging the acquisitions were intended to eliminate competition and secure a monopolistic position in social networking.
• Internal emails presented in court, including a 2018 message from Mark Zuckerberg, are being used as evidence of Meta's intent to neutralize competitive threats through acquisitions.
• Meta has increased its settlement offer from $450 million to nearly $1 billion, but the FTC has countered with demands for at least $18 billion and significant structural remedies.
• Mark Zuckerberg and Meta argue the integrations of Instagram and WhatsApp were strategic responses to changing digital engagement trends, not anti-competitive tactics.
• The case represents the FTC's renewed effort to challenge Meta's dominance after a previous attempt in 2020 was dismissed, with the outcome likely to shape future antitrust enforcement in tech.