Overview
- U.S. District Judge James Boasberg dismissed the FTC’s complaint on November 18, ending the government’s bid to force a divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp.
- The ruling concludes the FTC did not show current monopoly power in personal social networking rather than past dominance.
- Boasberg pointed to shifts in user behavior and rivals’ growth, noting Americans spend about 17% of their Facebook time and 7% of their Instagram time on friends’ content.
- The decision follows a 2021 dismissal by the same judge; the agency refiled with additional metrics and proceeded to a 2025 trial in Washington, D.C.
- Senior Meta figures including Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom testified during the trial that began in April.