The US Federal Trade Commission appeals a court ruling that dismissed its antitrust case against Meta over Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions.
WASHINGTON: The US Federal Trade Commission is appealing a court ruling that dismissed its antitrust case against Meta.
The agency insists the tech giant illegally monopolised social media through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. FTC director of public affairs Joe Simonson said Meta’s actions have consequently harmed American consumers.
The FTC filed a notice of appeal to the DC Circuit Court, beginning a process that could reach the Supreme Court. This follows a major victory for Meta in November when US District Judge James Boasberg dismissed the case launched in 2020.
Judge Boasberg concluded Meta faces sufficient competition from rivals like TikTok and YouTube. He noted that Facebook and Instagram now primarily show algorithm-recommended short videos similar to TikTok’s format.
The court cited data showing Americans spend only 17% of their Facebook time viewing friends’ content. On Instagram, just 7% of user time is spent on friends’ content, with most time devoted to “Reels” from strangers.
A senior FTC official criticised the judge for basing his ruling solely on Meta’s market position at the time of trial. The official, who requested anonymity, said this approach was a fundamental error that swept misconduct “under the rug.”
Boasberg’s ruling marked another setback for US antitrust enforcers pursuing aggressive action against Big Tech. The government has launched five major cases against tech giants in recent years, including two against Google.
In September, a different judge rejected a government bid to break up Google after finding it acted as an illegal monopoly. Google appealed that ruling last week.
