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5d ago

Meta Files Motion to Dismiss FTC Antitrust Case After Government Rests Its Case

The FTC concluded five weeks of testimony alleging Meta monopolized a narrow social media market, while Meta began its defense and argued the case lacks legal merit.

In a landmark anti-trust trial in Washington, Facebook-owner Meta could be forced to divest itself of Instagram and Whatsapp
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Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., during the Acquired LIVE event at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Listeners heard how Meta is playing a big role in defining the next decade of computing with AI. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Overview

  • The Federal Trade Commission has rested its case in a landmark antitrust trial seeking to force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, citing a 'buy or bury' strategy to neutralize competitors.
  • Meta filed a motion for judgment on partial findings, arguing the FTC failed to meet the legal standard for proving antitrust violations and that the case should be dismissed mid-trial.
  • Key testimony included Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom, who claimed Meta withheld resources from Instagram post-acquisition, and internal warnings about under-funded integrity efforts and high levels of fake engagement on the platform.
  • The trial hinges on whether Meta monopolizes a narrow 'friends-and-family' social apps market, as argued by the FTC, or competes broadly with platforms like TikTok and YouTube, as Meta contends.
  • Meta has begun presenting its defense, starting with witnesses from Snap, and maintains that its apps face significant competition in a dynamic and evolving digital landscape.