Meta wins antitrust trial as judge denies that it's a monopoly

Core Insights - Meta has successfully defended itself against a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit regarding its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, with the court ruling that the FTC did not prove any violation of antitrust laws [1][2] Summary by Sections Legal Outcome - The U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg concluded that the FTC failed to demonstrate that Meta violated antitrust laws when it acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014 [1] Competitive Landscape - Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Meta was aware of Instagram's rapid growth and the potential competition it could create [2] - Judge Boasberg noted that the current competitive landscape has changed significantly, with apps like TikTok providing substantial competition to Meta, suggesting that the market dynamics have evolved since the FTC's initial lawsuit [3][4] Market Dynamics - The judge emphasized that the distinction between social networking and social media markets has diminished, reflecting a more integrated market environment than five years ago [4]