FTC Antitrust Battle Vs Meta Could Force Sale Of Instagram And WhatsApp

Meta is facing an antitrust lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission(FTC) that could force it to sell WhatsApp and Instagram over accusations of monopoly. The case commenced during President Trump's first term in 2020 when antitrust regulators sued Meta, accusing it of stifling competition through its purchase of WhatsApp and Instagram.

While the FTC gave regulatory nods to Meta for both acquisitions, it now seeks to establish that Meta's acquisition of WhatsApp and Instagram was an illegal strategy to evade competition.

Reacting to this in a blog post, Meta's chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead described the case as weak and that it would deter tech investment. She argued that "It's absurd that the FTC is trying to break up a great American company at the same time the Administration is trying to save Chinese-owned TikTok.”

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