Washington – The trial in the Federal Trade Commission’s case accusing Meta of abusing an alleged monopoly power with the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp is set to start Monday. The scope of the charges was narrowed in November when Judge Boasberg denied most of Meta’s Motion for Summary Judgment, but dismissed the FTC’s claim that Meta restricts third-party app developers’ access to the platform.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated for competition in the tech industry for over 50 years.
The following can be attributed to Computer & Communications Industry Association President & CEO Matt Schruers:
“While merger review is a critical tool to enforce antitrust laws, it should be rooted in data and substantial evidence of consumer harm. During this upcoming trial, the FTC will need to prove that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp more than a decade ago harmed consumers and infringed antitrust law.
“The agency’s decision to revisit these transactions after a decade creates legal uncertainty, and risks chilling innovation and deterring mergers that benefit competition and consumers across an entire sector of the economy.”
