Tue, 18 Nov 2025

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 Judge rules Meta doesn't have monopoly after Instagram, WhatsApp acquisitions

The decision allows Instagram's parent company to avoid the prospect of the company breaking up
US District Judge James Boasberg has ruled that Meta Platforms, parent company of Facebook, did not violate antitrust laws when it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp over a decade ago. The decision, handed down on Tuesday, is a setback for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which had claimed that Meta's purchases gave the company a monopoly in social media. In his ruling, Judge Boasberg stated that Meta holds no monopoly in the relevant market and that the FTC failed to prove its case. The judge noted that both Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions were reviewed and approved by the FTC at the time they took place, and that even if Meta had enjoyed monopoly power in the past, it does not appear to have done so now. Meta hailed the decision as a victory for competition, saying that it recognizes that the company faces fierce competition from rivals like TikTok and YouTube. The FTC has indicated that it may appeal the ruling, but has yet to make a final decision.
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