Judge Rules Meta Doesn't Have A Social Media Monopoly
Meta’s acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp did not create an illegal social media monopoly, a federal judge ruled, a decision that solidifies the future of the $1.5 trillion tech giant.
Judge James Boasberg in Washington, D.C., rejected the Federal Trade Commission’s claim that Facebook’s parent company monopolized the “personal social networking” market for connecting with friends and family.
“As it has forecast in prior Opinions over the years, the FTC has an uphill battle to establish the contours of any separate PSN market and Defendant’s monopoly therein,” Boasberg wrote. “The Court ultimately concludes that the agency has not carried its burden: Meta holds no monopoly in the relevant market.”
The ruling is the latest blow to the government’s effort to challenge Big Tech companies’ dominance over the internet after another federal judge in September refused to break up Google for monopolizing the online search market.
Both the Meta and Google cases started under Trump’s first administration and were viewed as potential harbingers for how receptive judges are to the government’s request to break up the world’s largest tech companies.
Boasberg’s decision follows a six-week trial in April, which saw testimony from several Meta executives. CEO Mark Zuckerberg spent more than 10 hours answering questions from the stand and argued that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp served different roles in the social media space.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said the platform was locked in a fierce competition with TikTok to attract users under 30, and former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg testified the company worked extensively to improve and grow Instagram, rather than simply acquiring it to neutralize a market rival.
The next major antitrust decision to come down will likely be in another case concerning Google’s dominance of ad exchange markets and tools. A federal judge in Virginia ruled last year that the company had a monopoly over ad technology, and a trial over a potential remedy was held in September.
Amazon is also facing a challenge from the FTC regarding its online store, and the DOJ is suing Apple over the iPhone’s large presence in the device market — however, those trials aren’t scheduled until 2027.
Popular Products
-
Large Wall Calendar Planner$55.76$27.78 -
Child Safety Cabinet Locks - Set of 6$83.56$41.78 -
USB Touchscreen Heated Fingerless Gloves$75.56$37.78 -
Golf Swing Trainer Practice Stick wit...$21.56$10.78 -
Golf Swing Training Belt$41.56$20.78