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Meta Moves to Dismiss FTC Antitrust Case Amid Ongoing Trial

By  |  May 18, 2025

Meta Platforms is seeking to shut down the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) high-profile antitrust case in the middle of the trial, arguing that the government has failed to establish a credible legal basis for its claims, according to New York Post.

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    The trial, which could ultimately force Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, hit a pivotal moment late Thursday when the FTC concluded presenting its case. The agency has accused Meta of unlawfully maintaining a monopoly in the social media space by acquiring emerging competitors to suppress threats to its dominance.

    In a filing submitted shortly after the FTC rested, Meta urged the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, to dismiss the case outright. Per New York Post, Meta contends that the FTC’s interpretation of the market is flawed, and that its competition includes major players like TikTok, YouTube, and Elon Musk’s X.

    “After five weeks of trial, it is clear that the FTC has failed to meet the legal standard required under antitrust law,” said a Meta spokesperson in a statement Friday. “Regardless, we will present our case to show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram competes with TikTok (and YouTube and X and many other apps).”

    Read more: Meta Begins Defense After FTC Concludes Case in Landmark Antitrust Trial

    As New York Post previously reported, Meta made a last-ditch effort in early April to settle the matter before it reached the courtroom. The company also made overtures to the Media Research Center—a conservative watchdog known for its criticism of Big Tech—in a bid to gain political support from Republican circles just ahead of the trial.

    The FTC, however, remains firm in its stance, accusing Meta of employing a “buy or bury” strategy to eliminate competition. According to the agency, the acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 were deliberate moves to stifle potential rivals.

    While Meta insists its acquisitions brought substantial benefits to consumers—claiming in its court filing that the Instagram deal “enabled massive growth – with correspondingly massive benefits for US consumers”—the FTC has pointed to internal company communications as evidence of anti-competitive intent. One notable 2012 email from Zuckerberg reportedly stated that acquiring Instagram would “neutralize a competitor.” Another damaging revelation included a 2018 message from an unnamed Instagram executive estimating that fake engagement on the platform could be as high as 40%.

    The nonjury trial is set to conclude in June, after which both sides will submit final briefs. Judge Boasberg has not yet ruled on Meta’s motion to dismiss. If the FTC prevails, a subsequent trial will be held to determine what remedies—potentially including the breakup of Meta’s assets—should be imposed.

    Source: New York Post