Meta to face trial in antitrust lawsuit over Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions

A federal judge in the U.S. accepted Meta's arguments that some of the restrictions on its Facebook platform had legitimate business justifications.

However, the judge rejected the company's defense that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were "good for consumers and not an effort to dominate the personal social networking market," ruling that Meta must face trial in the antitrust lawsuit filed by the FTC.

The federal judge's ruling noted that a trial date would be set during a meeting with the parties later this month.

In a statement regarding the matter, a Meta spokesperson expressed confidence that the evidence would show that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were good for competition and consumers.

An FTC spokesperson also pointed to the importance of the case in limiting Meta's monopoly power and restoring competition in the social media ecosystem.

META HAD REQUESTED THE CASE BE DISMISSED

The Commission filed the lawsuit in 2020, alleging that Meta acted illegally to maintain its monopoly over social media when it acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014.

The FTC had argued that Meta overpaid for the applications in question.

In April, Meta had requested that the federal judge dismiss the FTC's case without a trial.

News Source: AA