Meta must face FTC antitrust trial over purchasing Instagram and WhatsApp

[Karah Rucker]

AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF BACK AND FORTH … META IS NOW FACING TRIAL IN THE ANTI-TRUST CASE BROUGHT ON BY THE F-T-C OVER THE COMPANY’S ACQUISITIONS OF INSTAGRAM AND WHATS APP.

A FEDERAL JUDGE WEDNESDAY … DENYING META’S REQUEST TO DROP THE F-T-C’S CASE, WHICH ACCUSES META OF BUYING THE TWO SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO CRUSH EMERGING COMPETITION IN SOCIAL MEDIA.

META HAS ARGUED THE ENTIRE CASE SHOULD BE DISMISSED ON GROUNDS THAT THE COMPANY FACES COMPETITION FROM APPS LIKE TIK-TOK.

THE F-T-C ORIGINALLY SUED FACEBOOK – WHICH IS NOW UNDERNEATH META – IN 20-20, ACCUSING IT OF ILLEGALLY MAINTAINING A MONOPOLY.

THE CASE WAS DISMISSED IN 20-21, BUT THE F-T-C LATER FILED AN AMENDED COMPLAINT. 

A META SPOKESPERSON SAYING …

 “WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE EVIDENCE AT TRIAL WILL SHOW THAT THE ACQUISITIONS OF INSTAGRAM AND WHATSAPP HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR COMPETITION AND CONSUMERS.”

A HEARING TO DISCUSS A TRIAL DATE IS SET FOR LATER THIS MONTH.

FOR SAN – I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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