Meta has filed a motion seeking judgment in the antitrust case it’s currently defending. The motion argues that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has failed to provide evidence that Meta unlawfully monopolized part of the social networking market through its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram.
The FTC had argued that Meta used a “buy or bury” strategy to neutralize competitive threats and maintain monopoly power in the social media space. The trial began on April 14 in Washington D.C. During the trial, Meta CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg faced intense questioning by the FTC’s lead attorney as he tried to defend his company’s purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp. It was revealed that antitrust concerns first surfaced years ago.
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The recent filing was submitted shortly after the FTC rested its case in a protracted trial before D.C. District Court Judge James Boasberg. “After five weeks of trial, it is clear that the FTC has failed to meet the legal standard required under antitrust law,” said Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro. “Regardless, we will present our case to show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram competes with TikTok (and YouTube and X and many other apps). The FTC spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars bringing a weak case with a market definition that ignores reality.”
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If granted, Meta’s request for a ruling on the evidence so far would bring a quicker end to the case. However, Boasberg could decline to take it up. Meta is now presenting its own evidence at the trial, which may run into June.
If Boasberg does not grant Meta’s request, the FTC and Meta are expected to file final briefs and deliver closing arguments after the company is finished presenting evidence. However, if the judge rules that Meta holds an illegal monopoly, the case would go to a second trial over the appropriate measures to address it.