Washington – Meta has filed a motion for summary judgment filed today in the FTC’s lawsuit against the social media company. The FTC’s lawsuit, filed back in 2021, is accusing Meta of abusing an alleged monopoly power with the acquisitions of Instagram and Whatsapp in 2012 and 2014 respectively. The FTC previously approved these acquisitions.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which has advocated for competition in the tech industry for more than 50 years, has weighed in on the issue. CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers expressed his concerns regarding the case, stating, "Merger review is a critical tool for antitrust enforcement, but it needs to be rooted in data. Whatever purchase this implausible theory might have had at the time the complaint was filed, it verges on the preposterous a decade after the transactions at issue. Enforcement actions that lack a sound empirical basis — or any substantial evidence of consumer harm — create legal uncertainty. And that is not specific to the digital sector; it will dissuade economically valuable transactions across the economy."
The statement by Schruers highlights the importance of evidence-based antitrust enforcement and raises questions about the validity and timing of the FTC's claims against Meta.
