Why is Meta (Facebook’s parent company) on trial in the U.S.?
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is now facing a major antitrust trial in Washington — and the outcome could reshape the future of Big Tech.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accuses Meta of using its market dominance to buy out potential rivals — specifically Instagram (2012) and WhatsApp (2014) — before they could become serious competition. If the court rules in favor of the government, Meta may be forced to divest both platforms.
The case centers on internal emails from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who once described Instagram’s rise as “really scary” and suggested Facebook should "pay a lot" to eliminate the threat. WhatsApp, the FTC argues, followed the same playbook.
The trial also signals that Meta’s hopes for leniency under a second Trump presidency may not come true. Despite Zuckerberg’s frequent White House visits and lobbying efforts — including a $23 million mansion near the capital — FTC leadership insists a late settlement is unlikely.
The case will be overseen by Judge James Boasberg and is expected to last at least eight weeks, with testimony from Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and rivals in the tech industry.
Meta’s legal team argues that it made Instagram and WhatsApp what they are today, investing billions to grow them into free, global tools. But the FTC says Meta’s monopoly led to a degraded user experience, filled with ads and little choice.
This is just one of five major antitrust cases targeting tech giants — with Google, Apple, and Amazon also in the crosshairs.
