Meta: Zuckerberg in trouble, may have to wash his hands of Instagram and WhatsApp...

Technology giant Meta is facing a historic antitrust trial that could force the company to separate Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta bought both these startups a decade ago and now they have become the company's biggest business pillars.

This lawsuit started during the tenure of US President Donald Trump. In this case, filed in 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Meta (than Facebook) of buying Instagram and WhatsApp to eliminate competition and illegally monopolize social media.

According to the FTC, following Mark Zuckerberg's strategy of "buying is better than competing", Facebook bought companies that could pose a threat to it. Under this plan, Instagram was bought first and then WhatsApp.

How did the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp become the reason for the question?
Zuckerberg is in trouble Meta may have to lose Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 for about $ 1 billion. At that time, it was a small photo-sharing app. Two years later, in 2014, Facebook bought WhatsApp for $22 billion. Both these platforms helped Facebook become popular again among mobile users, especially among the younger generation.

The FTC says that Facebook intentionally bought new companies that could become its competitors in the future, although Meta says that this lawsuit is "far from reality" and today Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook all compete equally with services like TikTok, YouTube, iMessage and X.

What is at stake for Meta?

If the court rules against Meta, the company may have to separate Instagram and WhatsApp. This will directly affect Meta's earnings, because according to the report, by 2025, Instagram alone is going to be the source of 50.5% of Meta's ad revenue in the US.

Experts say that today there are many big players in the social media market like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, so it will be challenging for the FTC to prove Meta's monopoly. This case can prove to be a milestone not only for Meta but for the entire tech industry. Companies like Google and Amazon are also facing similar antitrust cases.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.