Summary
On Tuesday, a judge ruled in favor of Meta in an antitrust case brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The case aimed to make Meta break up its ownership of Instagram and WhatsApp, but the judge decided the FTC did not prove Meta still has monopoly power in social networking.
Key Facts
- A U.S. judge rejected the FTC’s attempt to force Meta to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp.
- The FTC had claimed Meta used acquisitions to eliminate competition, citing internal emails from Mark Zuckerberg.
- Meta argued that the digital market has changed, with competitors like TikTok and Apple now being significant players.
- The case was filed by the FTC in 2020, and the final decision came after years of legal proceedings.
- The judge acknowledged that Meta once held significant power, but the FTC couldn't show it still does.
- Meta sees the ruling as proof that it faces strong market competition and supports innovation.
- The ruling is a setback for the FTC, which has succeeded in other recent antitrust cases against Google.
- The FTC may choose to appeal the decision.
