FTC v. Meta live: Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand
- Meta’s antitrust trial against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began on April 14th, with DC District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg hearing arguments about whether Meta illegally monopolized the market for “personal social networking services” through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
- The FTC is pushing for Instagram and WhatsApp to be spun off, while Meta argues that this would be a “grab bag” case that doesn’t align with the facts or the law. The trial will determine if Meta is liable for breaking antitrust law and how those harms should be remedied.
- Mark Zuckerberg took the stand on day two of his testimony, where he discussed various topics including TikTok’s impact on Meta’s growth, the company’s approach to ads, and its consideration of buying Instagram. He also shared some of his wildest ideas in Meta’s history, such as wiping all Facebook friends lists to boost usage.
- The trial is part of a larger trend of antitrust cases against Big Tech companies, following similar lawsuits against Google over its search and ad tech businesses. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of social media and online platforms.
- Meta reportedly offered $1 billion to settle the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit, but the company is instead choosing to fight the case in court. The trial is expected to continue over several months, with Judge Boasberg ultimately determining whether Meta is liable for breaking antitrust law and how those harms should be remedied.
The long-awaited antitrust trial between Meta and the Federal Trade Commission kicked off on April 14th. Over about two months, DC District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg is hearing arguments about whether then-Facebook illegally monopolized the market for “personal social networking services” through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
The FTC first brought the case in late 2020. While it was initially thrown out by the judge, he let an amended version move forward after the government beefed up details about why it thinks Meta is a monopoly. This phase of the trial will help the judge determine if Meta is liable for breaking antitrust law. If he finds that to be true, he’ll later rule on how those harms should be remedied. The FTC is pushing for Instagram and WhatsApp should be spun off.
This is the third US trial seeking to break up Big Tech in recent years, following the Justice Department’s two separate cases against Google over its search and ad tech businesses.
Read below for all of our updates on the FTC v. Meta case.
- ChatGPT’s image generation gets a shoutout.
- AI is solving Meta’s ‘negative network effects’ problem.
- “I don’t like it when our competitors do better than us.”
- Zuckerberg: TikTok slowed Meta’s growth ‘dramatically.’
- Apple, Google, and Snap accuse Meta of being reckless with their confidential info.
- Zuckerberg’s antitrust testimony aired his wildest ideas in Meta’s history
- Meta reportedly offered $1 billion to settle the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit.
- We’re done with day two of Zuckerberg’s testimony.
- Your Honor, we sell ads.
- “What is MeWe?”
- Zuckerberg takes an opportunity to jab the EU.
- Meta doesn’t “optimize directly” for time spent on its platform.
- Meta’s antitrust trial slide redactions aren’t actually hiding anything
- The FTC is done questioning Zuckerberg for now.
- The FTC is trying to pin Zuckerberg down on its market definition.
- Mark Zuckerberg once suggested wiping all Facebook friends lists to boost usage
- Zuckerberg sees LinkedIn as competition.
- Mark Zuckerberg suggested spinning off Instagram
- Zuckerberg offered to buy Snapchat for $6 billion.
- Meta discussed having a feed that only contains ads.
- Zuckerberg’s “crazy idea” to reset everyone Facebook’s friends to zero.
- People like ads, actually?
- After Snapchat turned Zuckerberg down, he worried about the rise of Stories.
- Zuckerberg: Snapchat would have grown faster with us.
- Meta was worried about early messaging apps expanding into its business.
- Meta considered blocking rival messaging app ads.
- “A billion dollars is very expensive.”
- Settlers of Catan makes a cameo.
- Zuckerberg downplays that he wanted to buy Instagram to ‘neutralize a potential competitor.’
- We’re here for day two of the FTC v. Meta trial.
- Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand
- Here’s how the FTC began its case against Meta.
- A slow start to the trial.
- Facebook considered keeping Instagram alive to keep “everyone from hating us.”
- “I wonder if we should consider buying Instagram.”
- Facebook had interns working on its Instagram competitor.
- Zuckerberg’s testimony trudges through years of social media history.
- “Mission accomplished.”
- Mark Zuckerberg takes the stand.
- Here are the slides Meta used to lay out its defense.
- Facebook and Instagram traffic surged when TikTok went down.
- Meta slams FTC’s “grab bag” case as “at war with the facts, and at war with the law.”
- FTC previews evidence that Meta allegedly sought to extinguish Instagram and WhatsApp as threats.
- We’re at the courthouse where Meta is facing its existential antitrust trial.
- Meta goes to trial to avoid a breakup of Instagram and WhatsApp
- FTC chair says he’d ‘obey lawful orders’ if Trump asked to drop an antitrust case like Meta’s
- Judge says the FTC’s Meta monopoly lawsuit can go forward
- Federal court dismisses FTC’s bid to unwind Instagram from Facebook
- The FTC is suing Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp
Q. When did the antitrust trial between Meta and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) start?
A. The antitrust trial kicked off on April 14th.
Q. What is the main issue being addressed in the FTC v. Meta case?
A. Whether Meta illegally monopolized the market for “personal social networking services” through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
Q. Why was the initial version of the FTC’s case thrown out by the judge?
A. The initial version was thrown out, but an amended version was allowed to move forward after the government provided more details about why it thinks Meta is a monopoly.
Q. What is the potential outcome if the judge finds that Meta is liable for breaking antitrust law?
A. If found liable, the judge will later rule on how those harms should be remedied, potentially including spinning off Instagram and WhatsApp.
Q. How many US trials have been seeking to break up Big Tech in recent years?
A. This is the third US trial seeking to break up Big Tech, following two separate cases against Google over its search and ad tech businesses.
Q. What was Meta reportedly willing to offer to settle the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit?
A. Meta reportedly offered $1 billion to settle the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit.
Q. Who took the stand during the trial?
A. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, took the stand as part of his testimony in the case.
Q. What was one of Mark Zuckerberg’s wildest ideas for Meta?
A. One of Zuckerberg’s ideas was to wipe all Facebook friends lists to boost usage.
Q. Why did Snapchat turn down a potential acquisition by Meta?
A. Snapchat turned down a potential $6 billion acquisition by Meta, and Zuckerberg worried about the rise of Stories.
Q. What is one of the FTC’s main goals in this case?
A. The FTC is pushing for Instagram and WhatsApp to be spun off from Meta as part of its antitrust lawsuit.