In a plot twist no one saw coming (except, maybe, anyone who has checked their TikTok feed lately), a U.S. district judge in Washington has ruled that Meta Platforms did not violate antitrust laws with its Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions. Yes, that Instagram and WhatsApp, the apps you scroll, stalk, and occasionally post to when avoiding responsibilities.
This ruling hands a huge defeat to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which sued Meta back in 2020, claiming the company had somehow built a monopoly by buying rivals. Judge James Boasberg, in what can only be described as the “TikTok defense” approach, wrote: "The Court ultimately concludes that the agency has not carried its burden: Meta holds no monopoly in the relevant market."
Meta, naturally, was thrilled. A company spokesperson said, “We recognize that Meta faces fierce competition,” which is lawyer-speak for: TikTok, YouTube, whatever, we’re fine.
April saw a lengthy bench trial featuring none other than Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg. Their testimony basically boiled down to, “Yes, we bought Instagram and WhatsApp. No, TikTok and YouTube aren’t dead yet.”
Judge Boasberg also reminded everyone that the FTC reviewed and approved Meta’s 2012 Instagram and 2014 WhatsApp acquisitions at the time, because hindsight is fun, but court rulings aren’t.
The FTC argued that Meta overpaid: $1 billion for Instagram and $19 billion for WhatsApp. The judge’s verdict? Social media changes faster than anyone can say “Reels,” so even if Meta had monopoly power before, its share is shrinking now. Sorry, FTC.
Joe Simonson, director of Public Affairs at the FTC, said the agency was “deeply disappointed” and might consider an appeal. He also hinted that Judge Boasberg wasn’t exactly their favorite, having clashed with the Trump administration and survived an impeachment attempt by congressional Republicans.
In other words, the deck was stacked, the cards were dealt, and the FTC is sitting at the table wondering why it brought Uno instead of Monopoly.
With this win, Meta avoids a breakup that could have involved spinning off Instagram and WhatsApp, essentially keeping the golden geese in the coop. The company emphasized: "Our products are beneficial for people and businesses and exemplify American innovation and economic growth."
Or, in normal human language: Don’t touch our toys.
This comes after the Department of Justice won antitrust cases against Google, yet even there, courts have hesitated to force major breakups.
Laura Phillips-Sawyer of UGA Law adds that the FTC case was tough from the start, given how fast social networking evolves. Still, Zuckerberg’s old statements hinting at squashing threats didn’t exactly help Meta’s PR.
Before anyone pops champagne, remember: Meta still has court obligations. Zuckerberg will testify in a landmark trial over social media’s impact on young people, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri will also appear. The case revolves around accusations that apps are addictive for teens despite known mental health risks.
So, Meta wins the monopoly fight, but the social media soap opera continues. Meanwhile, the FTC is left licking its wounds, and the rest of us keep scrolling, liking, and occasionally rolling our eyes.
