Mark Zuckerberg Defends Meta in FTC Antitrust Trial Over Instagram and WhatsApp

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Monday to defend his company in a high-stakes antitrust trial, where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is arguing that Meta unlawfully cemented its dominance in the social media landscape by acquiring competitors Instagram and WhatsApp. According to CNN, this marks the beginning of what is expected to be two days of testimony by Zuckerberg as he addresses the rationale behind two of Meta’s most transformative deals.

The FTC contends that Meta’s acquisitions were not just strategic business decisions, but calculated moves to suppress emerging competition and preserve its grip on the digital advertising market. Per CNN, the government claims that the company’s sprawling user base—3.3 billion daily users across its platforms—represents not just popularity, but a monopolistic lack of alternatives for consumers.

A central point of contention involves a 2011 internal email, in which Zuckerberg acknowledged that Facebook had fallen behind in mobile photo-sharing innovation, highlighting Instagram’s rapid rise. In that message, Zuckerberg described Instagram as a “large and viable competitor” and pointed to its success as a motivation for acquisition—a document the FTC says illustrates anticompetitive intent.

Meta’s legal team pushed back, emphasizing that both acquisitions were reviewed and approved by regulators at the time and arguing that the company continues to face robust competition from a wide range of apps and platforms. They maintain that user engagement is driven by innovation, not lack of options.

During questioning, the FTC also explored how Meta has shifted from a platform focused on personal connections to one more oriented toward broad content discovery, such as news feeds and groups. Zuckerberg acknowledged the shift, according to CNN, stating that while content from friends remains important, other types of engagement have expanded more rapidly.

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The trial could have dramatic consequences for Meta. Should the FTC prevail, the company may be forced to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, which would not only reshape Meta’s structure but also shake up the global social media ecosystem. The company’s core business—advertising—generated more than $160 billion in revenue last year, much of it driven by its integrated platform strategy.

Messaging services were another focal point of Monday’s testimony. The FTC is scrutinizing how Meta’s messaging features factor into its alleged market dominance. Zuckerberg defended the role of messaging, calling it a “symbiotic” element of the company’s broader platform experience. He said it enhances engagement by helping users share content with one another, reinforcing the value of Meta’s networked offerings.

In a separate line of questioning, FTC attorneys referenced a 2022 internal discussion where Zuckerberg and other top executives reportedly explored strategies to bolster Facebook’s cultural relevance amid growing pressure from platforms like TikTok. Zuckerberg confirmed the exchange, describing the summary presented by the FTC as accurate.

As the trial continues, Zuckerberg’s testimony could prove pivotal in determining whether Meta’s past mergers will stand—or whether the company may be forced to reverse years of expansion that helped shape the current social media landscape.

Source: AMP