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FTC v. Meta Trial: The Future of Instagram and WhatsApp Is at Stake


The blockbuster antitrust case begins Monday. Its outcome could impact how Big Tech companies grow—but the government has a long way to go to prove its case.

The FTC, one of the nation’s antitrust enforcement agencies, wants Judge James Boasberg to hold the tech giant liable for executing these mega deals to illegally maintain a social media monopoly. But the possibility of losing two valuable properties helps explain why Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly been exploring a last-minute deal with President Donald Trump and White House officials to avert a fight in court. The category Facebook allegedly monopolizes includes services such as Snapchat and little-known MeWe, but notably excludes YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms that the FTC believes are more for watching videos by creators than following family and friends.

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