Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand on Monday to defend his company against the Federal Trade Commission’s claim that Meta built a social media monopoly by buying out its competition — specifically Instagram and WhatsApp.
Zuckerberg is expected to testify over two days as he explains why Meta acquired the two platforms. The outcome could significantly impact Meta’s future. If the FTC wins, Meta might be forced to spin off both Instagram and WhatsApp, a move that would disrupt its massive advertising business and reshape the social media industry.
Meta’s platforms attract a combined 3.3 billion daily users — a key selling point for advertisers that brought in over $160 billion in ad revenue last year. But the FTC argues that Meta’s dominance reflects a lack of consumer choice, not just success. In contrast, Meta’s lawyers say the social media market remains competitive and that regulators already approved the acquisitions when they happened.

The FTC contends that Meta bought Instagram and WhatsApp to avoid future competition. One 2011 email from Zuckerberg to executives reveals concerns about Instagram becoming a serious competitor in mobile photo sharing, as Facebook’s own app, Facebook Camera, lagged behind. “Instagram has become a large and viable competitor,” Zuckerberg wrote. Meta went on to buy Instagram in April 2012.
During his testimony, Zuckerberg was also asked about Facebook’s evolution — from a platform focused on connecting friends and family to one more centered on engaging users through content like news feeds and groups. He acknowledged that “the ‘interest’ part has grown more than the ‘friend’ part” over time.
Messaging was another key focus. The FTC is examining how messaging tools across Meta’s apps — including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — fit into the larger platform ecosystem. Zuckerberg called messaging “symbiotic” to Facebook’s services, helping users share interesting content with friends.
In another part of the hearing, the FTC pointed to a 2022 email between Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, and Facebook President Tom Alison, discussing strategies to keep Facebook culturally relevant amid growing popularity of rivals like Instagram and TikTok. Zuckerberg agreed with the FTC’s summary of that conversation.
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Read moreIf the court sides with the FTC, Meta could face one of the biggest structural changes in its history.