FTC to Appeal Meta Antitrust Decision

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to appeal a November ruling in favor of Meta in its antitrust case against the social media company, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Meta had prevailed in the case, which posed an existential threat to its business after a judge ruled that Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking. (Photo: InvadingInvader Wikimedia Commons)

The FTC said it continues to allege that Meta Platforms Inc. has “illegally maintained a monopoly” in social networking for more than a decade through anticompetitive conduct, including acquiring perceived competitive threats such as Instagram and WhatsApp.

Meta had prevailed in the case, which posed an existential threat to its business and could have forced the company to spin off both platforms, after a judge ruled that Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking.

US District Judge James Boasberg issued his ruling on Nov. 18 after the historic antitrust trial concluded in late May.

His decision contrasts sharply with recent rulings that found Google to be an illegal monopoly in both search and online advertising, delivering major regulatory blows to the tech industry.

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.”