Meta胜诉关键反垄断案，法官认定不存在社交媒体垄断

Core Viewpoint - A U.S. federal judge dismissed the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) antitrust lawsuit against Meta, ruling that the company does not hold an illegal monopoly in the social media sector [1]. Group 1: Court Ruling and Implications - Judge James Boasberg stated that the FTC failed to prove that Meta maintained an illegal monopoly through its acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 [1]. - Following the ruling, Meta's stock price increased, indicating a positive market reaction and a recognition of the competitive landscape faced by the company [1]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The judge emphasized that the FTC must demonstrate that Meta currently possesses monopoly power, rather than just having it in the past [5]. - Significant changes in the social media market were noted, with users shifting towards video content, making platforms like YouTube and other short video applications major competitors [5]. - Evidence cited in the ruling indicated that consumers are spending "substantial time" on these competing platforms, which has compelled Meta to invest heavily to remain competitive [5]. Group 3: FTC's Challenges - The FTC's case dates back to the Trump administration, with the agency filing a lawsuit against Meta in late 2020 [6]. - Judge Boasberg previously dismissed the lawsuit due to insufficient evidence from the FTC, but allowed a revised complaint under the Biden administration to proceed [6]. - During the trial, FTC lawyers struggled to establish a clear distinction between user engagement on Meta's platforms and that on YouTube and short video services [6]. Group 4: FTC's Position and Demands - The FTC argued that Meta's products focus on connecting friends and family, which does not compete with entertainment applications like TikTok and YouTube, suggesting that Meta's monopoly status persists [7]. - Despite potential disputes over the evidence presented, the judge noted that users view short video applications and YouTube as substitutes for Facebook and Instagram, highlighting significant competitive overlap [7]. - The FTC previously sought to break up Meta by requiring the divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp and demanded a $30 billion settlement before the trial [7].