Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Mobile Meta Fights To Stop Potential Breakup Of Instagram And WhatsApp In A High-Stakes Trial Ezza Ijaz • Apr 11, 2025 at 04:45pm EDT The regulatory authorities are taking more stringent measures and have not been sparing any companies lately, especially the tech giants. They seem to penalize any company that violates the law. Google has been under immense pressure for almost a year amidst allegations of dominance, and the authorities are even considering a divestiture. Now, Meta seems to be under hot waters as the US Federal Trade Commission is pursuing an antitrust lawsuit against the company over its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp. The trial is said to take place on April 14th, which could potentially completely change the future of the company. Meta is set to face FTC Trial over violations of its antitrust laws, with the authorities pushing for a breakup Over the next two months, Meta will be fighting a legal battle that could change the social media landscape and the company's future. The trial is said to kick off on Monday, as per a Bloomberg report, but this lawsuit has been ongoing for a while. FTC originally filed the case in 2020, claiming that Meta had an illegal market dominance by forming a monopoly with its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp, which discouraged competition. Instagram was acquired in 2012, and then in 2014, Meta took over WhatsApp. FTC alleges that by taking these steps, it was eliminating any potential threats that could harm its monopoly. It further argues that the quality of Meta's app has seen a decline as a result of lower competition, and privacy protection is weaker, with more ads now showing up. The US Federal Trade Commission is persistent in ensuring that the acquisitions do not breach the antitrust laws and discourage healthy competition from sustaining. It believes that the takeover should not have been approved in the first place, and now that the harm has been done, a break up of Instagram and WhatsApp is the way to deal with the growing dominance. Meta, in its defense, contends that by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp, it took the platform to an extended audience, which helped it reach billions globally. It also argues that it has been facing intense competition, and it does not slow down. Rather, with the takeover, it has even more players to rival. Since regulators approved the acquisitions at that time, it would also be argued whether penalizing over it now is justified. Meta also believes that the definition of FTC regarding the market is too narrow, especially with evolving technologies and every other company trying to remain agile. The trial would be heard in Washington, D.C., and is believed to last about two months. Despite Meta lobbying the Trump administration and FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, it had little impact on the legal battle as the case proceeds. If the FTC is successful in its pursuit, it could mean that Meta would have to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, which could have a huge impact across the industry, given the tightened scrutiny of tech companies. Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada