FTC Antitrust Trial Against Meta Enters Key Phase

The antitrust trial between Meta and the Federal Trade Commission centers on whether Meta holds an illegal monopoly over the market for 'personal social networking services' through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC argues that Meta dominates a distinct market focused on direct sharing among friends and family, highlighting differences between Meta’s platforms and rivals like TikTok, X, and Reddit, which emphasize anonymity or entertainment over personal connections. Meta counters by asserting it faces significant competition from a wide range of tech platforms and that its products have evolved beyond their original scope. Executives from competing platforms have testified, emphasizing how their services differ fundamentally from Meta’s core offerings. The outcome may determine whether Meta will be forced to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, with the trial expected to continue through at least June. This case follows other recent major antitrust actions against Big Tech in the U.S.