FTC lawsuit seeks to force Facebook to sell Instagram and WhatsApp
The complaint accuses Facebook of operating a monopoly
A second attempt
The complaint is the FTC’s second antitrust salvo against Facebook. In June, a federal court dismissed a lawsuit from the regulator alleging that Facebook has engaged in monopolistic practices. The court argued that the FTC had failed to prove its central claim.
The amended complaintincludes new data that the FTC says supports its contention. It argues that Facebook’s antitrust conduct is ongoing:
Facebook described the lawsuit as “meritless.”
“Our acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were reviewed and cleared many years ago, and our platform policies were lawful,” the company said on Twitter.
Facebook had also sought to recuseFTC Chair Lina Khanfrom the case due to her previous criticism of the company, but the petition was dismissed.
The new filing capped a long day for Facebook. The company was criticized for letting a bomb threatsuspect livestream his grievancesfor hours, and its first step to the metaverse wasmercilessly mocked.
The FTC case may appear a more existential threat to the company, but breaking up big tech is proving hard to do.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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