A federal judge on Tuesday ruled for Meta in the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust suit, declining to order the company to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC sued Meta five years ago, alleging the social media giant stifled competition and protected a monopoly by acquiring potential rivals.
The agency argued Facebook (now Meta) overpaid for Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 as part of a “buy or bury” strategy. The FTC sought a remedy requiring those apps to be separated into independent companies to restore competitive opportunities and user choice.
In a memorandum opinion, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg concluded the FTC had not shown Meta holds a monopoly in social media. Boasberg noted the market has changed since the suit was filed, pointing to the rise of new competitors and the growing prominence of YouTube and, notably, TikTok. He wrote that the distinction between personal social networking and social media has broken down and quoted Heraclitus to observe how fast the online landscape moves.
FTC spokesperson Joe Simonson said the agency was “deeply disappointed” and questioned Boasberg’s impartiality. Boasberg has drawn criticism from Republicans for other rulings and has been targeted by President Trump, who has called for his impeachment.
Meta’s chief legal officer, Jennifer Newstead, welcomed the decision, saying the court recognized Meta faces fierce competition and that its products benefit people and businesses. During the trial, which concluded in May, Meta contended it bought Instagram and WhatsApp because they were strong products and that regulators had approved the acquisitions at the time. CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified that he acquired Instagram because it was better to buy the product than build a similar app internally.
Bill Kovacic, a former FTC chairman and George Washington University law professor, called the ruling a decisive victory for Meta and observed it follows another major antitrust case in which courts declined to order a breakup remedy. He suggested antitrust litigation may be a difficult tool for policing fast-moving tech markets and said the decision could renew debate over whether new regulations are needed to address competition, user safety and security.
The ruling comes amid political and legal maneuvering involving Meta. Reports noted Zuckerberg’s efforts to settle with the FTC were rebuffed. Earlier this year Meta paid $25 million to settle a separate lawsuit by Trump over account suspensions and ended its fact-checking program—moves that some conservatives had urged and that coincide with other outreach by the company.
It is unclear whether the FTC will appeal; the agency said it is reviewing all options.