New Delhi, April 15: Mark Zuckerberg has appeared in court in a landmark antitrust trial. He is there to defend his company, Meta, against US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) claims that it holds a monopoly over the social media industry. The trial is significant because it addresses concerns about competition in the social media industry and whether Meta's practices unfairly limit choices for users and other businesses. The FTC has initiated an antitrust lawsuit against Meta, claiming that the acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, overseen by Mark Zuckerberg, were anti-competitive.

As per a of BBC, the FTC has stated that Meta overpaid for its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. It reportedly acquired Instagram for USD 1 billion and WhatsApp for USD 19 billion. The FTC argues that these purchases were made as a defensive strategy to eliminate potential competition. The FTC vs Meta antitrust case was initially filed during the first term of US President Donald Trump. The trial began on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. The trial is anticipated to continue for approximately two months.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Mark Zuckerberg-Led Meta Could Be Compelled To Sell Instagram and WhatsApp, Here슬롯사이트™s Why.

FTC vs Meta Antitrust Case

The FTC claims Meta슬롯사이트™s Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions were aimed to reduce competition, citing internal emails from Mark Zuckerberg expressing concern over acquiring the platform to neutralise a competitor. During the opening statement at the trial on Monday, FTC lawyer Daniel Matheson reportedly stated that Meta's leadership chose to avoid the challenges of competition. Matheson said, "They decided that competition was too hard and it would be easier to buy out their rivals than to compete with them."

Meta has responded to the FTC's lawsuit by arguing that the case is "misguided." The company points out that the FTC had previously reviewed and approved the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The company's attorney Mark Hansen argued, and said Meta "acquired Instagram and WhatsApp to improve and grow them alongside Facebook."

As per reports, the FTC lawyer referenced a 2012 memo from Zuckerberg, in which he reportedly emphasised the importance of "neutralising" Instagram. Mark Zuckerberg is said to have taken the stand as the first witness on Monday at a federal court in Washington, DC.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Mark Zuckerberg-Run Meta To Train Its AI Models Using EU User Data Following Launch of Meta AI in Europe.

As per multiple reports, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg countered the allegations and argued that Meta's acquisitions were driven by a desire for innovation and was aimed to enhance the user experience. He pointed out that Instagram and WhatsApp were small startups at the time they were acquired. Zuckerberg emphasised that Meta's investments played a crucial role in helping these platforms grow into the global platform.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 15, 2025 02:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).