Will Zuckerberg have to sell WhatsApp and Instagram?
Meta Platforms heads to trial on Monday in a landmark antitrust case that could force chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to sell Instagram and WhatsApp – two pillars of its $1.3 trillion (£1 trillion) empire.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has alleged that Meta, then Facebook, illegally bought Instagram in 2012, and WhatsApp two years later, to neutralise emerging threats and maintain its market monopoly.
If successful, the case could lead to a court-ordered breakup of the tech titan. It would be the most aggressive regulatory challenge to Big Tech since the government’s win against Google’s search business last year.
Meta disputes the FTC’s claims, arguing that Instagram and WhatsApp have grown precisely because of Meta’s investment, and that both do face intense competition from TikTok, YouTube, or iMessage.
“The evidence will show what every 17 year old knows”, claimed a Meta spokesperson, “that our apps compete vigorously in a crowded market.”
Judge James Boasberg, who previously dismissed the FTC’s original complaint but allowed an amended version to proceed, will preside over the non-jury trial in Washington DC.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg expected to testify
Top Meta executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, former chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, and the current heads of Instagram and WhatsApp, are expected to testify in the case.
Trump’s new FTC chair has signalled support for strong enforcement. Yet, he also said he would follow any lawful directive from the president.
The case hinges on whether the FTC can convince the judge that Meta holds monopoly power in a narrowly defined market and used acquisitions to kill off rivals.
“It’s one of the stronger antitrust cases we’ve seen in tech”, said Vanderbilt law professor Rebecca Allensworth. “But proving it- especially after the deals were cleared a decade ago – won’t be easy.”
If Meta is found liable, a second trial phase will determine whether Instagram and WhatsApp will have to be spun off.