Zuckerberg Defends Meta as FTC Antitrust Trial Threatens to Break Up Tech Giant

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand Monday to defend his company in a landmark antitrust trial that could reshape the future of the tech industry. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accused Meta of acquiring its competitors; Instagram and WhatsApp, not for innovation, but to eliminate threats and maintain a social media monopoly.

If the FTC prevails, Meta could be forced to divest from both apps, unraveling a decade of corporate consolidation and dealing a blow to its $160 billion ad business.

Zuckerberg’s testimony, expected to span two days, centers on Meta’s most pivotal acquisitions. The FTC alleges that Meta’s vast reach across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, platforms it says serve over 3.3 billion users daily, leaves consumers with few meaningful alternatives.

“The FTC’s argument is simple,” said attorney Daniel Matheson during opening statements. “This is not innovation. This is domination.”

A Strategic Takeover?

The agency cited internal emails from Zuckerberg to argue the company’s strategy was to buy out competition before it could grow. One email from 2011 just months before the Instagram acquisition describes the app as a “large and viable competitor” after Facebook’s own camera app stalled.

Meta eventually bought Instagram in 2012, followed by WhatsApp in 2014. At the time, both deals were approved by regulators. But the FTC now claims those approvals were shortsighted, overlooking Meta’s intent to neutralize competition.

Meta’s legal team pushed back, arguing the platforms face stiff competition from TikTok, Snapchat, and newer players. They also stressed that innovation, not market power, has kept Meta at the top of the digital advertising game.

Shifting Priorities and Declining Relevance

Zuckerberg acknowledged that Meta's focus has evolved over the years. What started as a network for friends and family has increasingly become a platform for interest-based communities and third-party content.

“It’s the case that over time, the ‘interest’ part of that has gotten built out more than the ‘friend’ part,” he said.

The FTC also drilled into Meta’s internal conversations about Facebook’s fading relevance, particularly in comparison to Instagram and TikTok. A 2022 email between Zuckerberg and senior leaders showed concern about Facebook’s cultural decline and efforts to preserve its future.

“That’s generally a good summary,” Zuckerberg said in response to the FTC’s description of the exchange.

Messaging as a Market

A key legal question in the case is whether Meta’s messaging services spanning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp constitute a distinct market Meta dominates. Zuckerberg described messaging as “symbiotic” with Meta’s social offerings, enhancing the way users share content.

The distinction could help define how the FTC frames Meta’s influence, especially as messaging apps increasingly compete for user time and attention globally.

A Potential Breaking Point

At stake is more than corporate structure. If the court rules in the FTC’s favor, Meta could be forced to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp, a dramatic move with far-reaching consequences for the tech industry and the billions of users who rely on Meta’s ecosystem.

The case is shaping up to be one of the most significant antitrust battles of the digital age, with the potential to set a precedent for how tech giants can grow and how far is too far.

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