FTC v. Meta: The antitrust battle over WhatsApp and Instagram

The long-awaited antitrust trial between Meta and the Federal Trade Commission began April 14th under Chief Judge James Boasberg, focusing on whether Meta, which owns Facebook, formed a personal social networking monopoly through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC initially filed the case late 2020, but it was dismissed after the judge found insufficient evidence; however, an amended complaint was approved when the government detailed its antitrust claims more thoroughly. The FTC is now pushing for potential spin-offs, such as Instagram and WhatsApp, to be spun off if deemed necessary by the court to break up Meta's monopoly.