Fb mother or father firm Meta Platforms requested a federal choose on Thursday to throw out the US Federal Commerce Fee’s case accusing it of an unlawful social media monopoly, saying the company did not show its case at a high-stakes antitrust trial.
On the trial, which started on April 14 in Washington, the FTC has sought to indicate that Meta, then referred to as Fb, illegally dominated the marketplace for social media platforms used to share updates with family and friends via its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC is searching for to unwind these offers, which occurred greater than a decade in the past.
If granted, Meta’s request for a ruling on the proof to this point would carry a faster finish to the case, although US District Choose James Boasberg may decline to take it up. Meta is now presenting its personal proof on the trial, which can run into June.
A spokesperson for the FTC didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Thursday.
The FTC is searching for to indicate that Meta, then referred to as Fb, purchased Instagram and WhatsApp to take out upstart rivals, pointing to emails the place CEO Mark Zuckerberg frightened in regards to the apps’ progress.
However proof at trial confirmed that WhatsApp had no plan to develop to develop into a social community rival to Fb, and that Zuckerberg knew that earlier than the deal was finalized, Meta stated Thursday. And testimony confirmed Instagram grew after the acquisition, the corporate stated.
Meta additionally argued FTC failed to indicate a significant distinction between supposed friends-and-family sharing apps — corresponding to SnapChat, Instagram and Fb — and TikTok, which Meta stated it has been pressured to mimic to outlive.
Platforms the place customers broadcast content material to strangers primarily based on shared pursuits, corresponding to X, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit , usually are not interchangeable, the FTC has stated.
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“The via line connecting all of those social apps is that every vies to indicate essentially the most compelling user-generated content material in order that it will probably take as a lot consumer time and a focus as doable from the opposite apps, together with Meta’s apps,” the corporate stated.
If Boasberg doesn’t grant Meta’s request, the FTC and Meta are anticipated to file ultimate briefs and ship closing arguments after the corporate is completed presenting proof.
If the choose then finds that Meta holds an unlawful monopoly, the case would go to a second trial over the suitable measures to handle it. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Modifying by Sandra Maler, Leslie Adler and Shri Navaratnam)