FTC To Appeal Ruling in Favour of Meta in Antitrust Case, Alleges Social Media Giant ‘Illegally Maintained a Monopoly’ via Instagram and WhatsApp
The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday it will appeal the November ruling in favor of Meta in its antitrust case against the social media giant. The FTC said it continues to allege that, for more than a decade, Meta Platforms Inc. has “illegally maintained a monopoly” in social networking.
Menlo Park, January 21: The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday it will appeal the November ruling in favor of Meta in its antitrust case against the social media giant. The FTC said it continues to allege that, for more than a decade, Meta Platforms Inc. has “illegally maintained a monopoly” in social networking through anticompetitive conduct "by buying the significant competitive threats it identified in Instagram and WhatsApp.”
Meta had prevailed over the existential challenge to its business that could have forced the tech giant to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp after a judge ruled that the company does not hold a monopoly in social networking. EU Opens Antitrust Inquiry over Google's AI Search Summaries
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued his ruling on Nov. 18 after the historic antitrust trial wrapped up in late May. His decision runs in sharp contrast to two separate rulings that branded Google an illegal monopoly in both search and online advertising, dealing regulatory blows to the tech industry that for years enjoyed nearly unbridled growth. Elon Musk vs Apple, OpenAI: X Corp Lawsuit Gets US Judge’s Approval To Proceed in Antitrust Case.
In a statement, Meta said the court's decision "to reject the FTC’s arguments is correct, and recognizes the fierce competition we face. We will remain focused on innovating and investing in America.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2026 07:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).