Instagram and WhatsApp could be spun off if Meta loses its antitrust case

The news: On the second day of its antitrust trial with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued that buying Instagram and WhatsApp helped improve the apps and didn’t hurt competition. The FTC claims Meta bought them to shut down rivals and keep its power. If the government wins, Meta could be forced to sell off both apps.

• The case centers on Meta’s purchases of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, which the FTC alleges were intended to eliminate emerging competitors in social networking.
• FTC attorney Daniel Matheson argued that Meta chose to acquire rivals instead of improving its own products, calling it a violation of long-established US competition norms.