Meta’s antitrust defense wraps with one big claim: WhatsApp and Instagram couldn’t be better
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Summary
US district judge James Boasberg will decide whether Meta has created a monopoly with its ownership of Instagram and WhatsApp, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking to unwind the acquisitions.
The FTC attempted to prove that Meta had bought up potential competitors, but the company asserted that the two apps would have struggled to flourish had they not been purchased.
Meta also argued that the FTC had ignored competition in the form of TikTok and YouTube, which are social media platforms focused on entertainment.
Boasberg criticised both Meta and the FTC, saying that neither had presented a “clear picture of how consumers perceive the relevant market”.
Boasberg is expected to deliver his ruling in the coming months.