Zuckerberg testifies in Meta antitrust trial
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified Monday in a landmark antitrust case that could reshape the social media landscape in the United States.The Federal Trade Commission is attempting to dismantle Meta's empire, claiming that the corporation bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 to reduce competitors and maintain its dominance.
The action, filed during former President Donald Trump's first term, charges Meta (previously Facebook) of monopolising platforms for sharing content with friends and relatives. The FTC claims Meta's activities hampered competitors and left customers with limited options.
"This case is about protecting competition and restoring choice," explained FTC attorney Daniel Matheson. He claimed that Meta's purchases drove away competitors at a time when Facebook was struggling to adapt to mobile.
Zuckerberg is anticipated to face questioning concerning internal emails in which he contemplated acquiring Instagram to "neutralise" it as a competitor, as well as his concern that WhatsApp may become a rival social network. Meta claims that both purchases helped customers but are no longer relevant in today's competitive scene dominated by TikTok, YouTube, and Apple's iMessage.
Meta attorney Mark Hansen denied the FTC's charges as out of date. "This case is a grab bag of theories at war with facts," he added, citing users' preference for video material and time spent on TikTok-style features.
A loss for Meta might result in the forced divestiture of Instagram or WhatsApp, which would be particularly harmful given that Instagram is anticipated to earn more than half of Meta's U.S. ad income, according to Emarketer.
The trial is scheduled to last until July, with far-reaching ramifications not only for Meta, but also for current antitrust investigations of Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Google.
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