FTC Takes Meta to Court Over Instagram and WhatsApp Acquisitions in Landmark Antitrust Trial

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is set to face the U.S. federal government in a pivotal antitrust trial beginning Monday. The case, brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), accuses Meta of engaging in monopolistic practices by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp to eliminate potential competition and solidify its dominance in social networking. The FTC argues that this ‘buy or bury’ strategy constitutes a violation of antitrust laws and seeks to force Meta to divest these two platforms. Judge James Boasberg will oversee the proceedings in what is anticipated to be a multiweek trial. Meta defends its position by pointing to existing competition from platforms such as TikTok, Snap, Reddit, and LinkedIn, and notes that its acquisitions were approved by regulators at the time. The trial marks the first major tech antitrust case under the Trump administration and could have broad implications for Silicon Valley, where startups often depend on acquisitions by larger firms. Legal experts say the FTC faces a difficult task in proving that Meta’s dominance would have faltered without the acquisitions. Still, the outcome could influence how future mergers and acquisitions in the tech sector are evaluated.