Today, Meta is facing its own lawsuit following an antitrust investigation against the company regarding Instagram and WhatsApp.
The US government claims that Mark Zuckerberg illegally built a "social media monopoly" by acquiring the Instagram and WhatsApp platforms and engaging in "anticompetitive behavior" for years. If the court ruling goes against Meta, then the company could be forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp.
However, we don't know if President Donald Trump. In the past, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has operated (largely) independently, meaning investigators were not subject to political pressure.
However, Trump brought some changes in this area during his second term, leading to widespread concerns.
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At the same time, Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly built a closer relationship with Trump, judging by private dinners, public appearances and changes to Meta’s platform. Zuckerberg told Meta employees in January that “we now have the opportunity to have a productive partnership with the United States government” and “we will embrace it.”
Zuckerberg was also seen at the White House on April 2. On the same day, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that he was pressuring Trump to resolve the case with the FTC.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, a vocal critic of both men, wrote in X: “Remember how Mark Zuckerberg started helping Trump, with Meta donating $1 million to his inauguration. Well, now Zuckerberg is trying to take advantage – allegedly pressuring Trump to settle the antitrust lawsuit against Meta.”
The case against Meta had essentially begun during Trump’s first term. FTC commissioners appointed by the president, in consultation with nearly every state attorney general, investigated the Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions years ago and filed a lawsuit against Meta in December 2020.
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The lawsuit was dismissed six months later, but the FTC – then led by new chairman Joe Biden – came back with a stronger complaint.
Under normal circumstances, the president’s personal relationships and opinions would have no bearing on a federal lawsuit. However, all scenarios are possible. Last month, Donald Trump fired two Democrats from the FTC, despite a 1935 Supreme Court ruling that a president cannot do so without cause. The two commissioners, Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, are suing Trump and trying to stay on the commission.
It is worth noting that in the past, relations between Trump and Zuckerberg have not been the best, with the US President accusing the Meta CEO of conspiring against him in 2020.
It remains to be seen how the trial against Meta will unfold and whether the company will actually be forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp.
"Regulators should support American innovation, rather than seeking to break up a major American company and further advance China on critical issues like artificial intelligence," a company spokesperson said.
At trial, Meta will also point out what it says “every 17-year-old in the world knows: that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp compete with TikTok, YouTube, X, iMessage , and many others.”
Antitrust investigations
Antitrust laws are designed to promote fair competition and prevent monopolistic practices.
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Enforcing these laws is essential to maintaining a healthy market environment where innovation can thrive, while also protecting consumers.
Meta’s investigation into platform acquisitions highlights regulators’ ongoing efforts to hold big tech companies for their actions. There have been a number of similar cases in Europe recently, involving companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. The companies are facing antitrust investigations and fines from various regulators.
Source: edition.cnn.com
