The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is pursuing a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were anti-competitive and harmed consumers. The FTC argues these acquisitions eliminated potential competitors, resulting in reduced app quality, increased ads, and decreased privacy protections.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly lobbied the Trump administration for a settlement to avoid the trial, including making donations to Trump's inaugural fund and visiting the White House. This occurred during a period of shifting relationships between Big Tech CEOs and the Trump administration.
While a trial is likely, some believe the FTC's case is weak. There's a possibility of a settlement, but FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson, despite implying he would follow lawful orders from President Trump, has signaled his intention to proceed with the lawsuit. The trial's outcome remains uncertain, with experts suggesting the case might not result in Meta's breakup.
The article also mentions similar antitrust lawsuits against other tech giants, such as Alphabet (Google) and X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the broader context of the Trump administration's and subsequent Biden administration's approach to regulating big tech.
The article notably highlights that even with attempts by Big Tech companies to improve relations with the Trump administration, antitrust trials are still proceeding, and Trump is pursuing his own lawsuits against tech companies that banned him after the January 6th riot. Settlements have already been reached in some of these cases (X and Meta).