A PYMNTS Company

Appeals Court Rejects Bid To Revive Meta Antitrust Case

By  |  April 27, 2023
Appeals Court Rejects Bid To Revive Meta Antitrust Case

On Thursday, a federal court of appeals dismissed a plea made by a group of state attorneys general to revive an antitrust case against tech company Meta, reported The Hill. 

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The DC Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the lawsuit regarding Meta’s acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram as outdated and unusual.

    The court ruled that the lawsuit, filed in 2020 regarding the 2012 and 2014 acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram, was brought too late by the states. Both acquisitions were previously approved by federal regulators.

    Related:Court Rules Meta Can Be Sued In Kenya

    The DC circuit court ruling raises doubts about the argument that Meta is in breach of antitrust laws.

    “We note in particular that courts should proceed cautiously when asked to deem novel products or practices anticompetitive. Many innovations may seem anti-competitive at first but turn out to be the opposite, and the market often corrects even those that are anti-competitive,” the decision stated.

    The circuit court ruling confirms a decision made by US District Judge James Boasberg in June of 2021.

    Despite previous legal challenges, Meta is currently facing further scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission regarding anticompetitive practices related to their acquisitions.