December 9, 2020
FTC sues Facebook for anticompetitive conduct
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed an antitrustLaws limiting monopolies and unfair competition — shaped landmark cases against Microsoft, Google, and Apple. lawsuit against FacebookThe social network founded by Mark Zuckerberg — grew into Meta and reshaped online advertising. on December 9, 2020 — alleging illegal monopolization through acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp and anticompetitive platform policies.
What it was for
The suit sought divestitures of Instagram and WhatsApp — unprecedented for a social platform. It ran parallel to state AG cases and EU DMA designations, signaling a new era of antitrustLaws limiting monopolies and unfair competition — shaped landmark cases against Microsoft, Google, and Apple. aimed at network-effect moats rather than just price fixing. Developers watched for mandates to open social graphs, interoperability APIs, and reduced platform self-preferencing.
Companies
- Meta
Why it's here
The FTC suit was the boldest U.S. antitrustLaws limiting monopolies and unfair competition — shaped landmark cases against Microsoft, Google, and Apple. challenge to a social platform since MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen..
Why it mattered
It threatened breakups of Instagram and WhatsApp and reshaped M&A calculus for big tech.
What it solved
Regulators argued FacebookThe social network founded by Mark Zuckerberg — grew into Meta and reshaped online advertising. bought rivals to maintain monopoly power in social networking.
Media
- ImageFederal Trade Commission
Tiffany & Co., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- U.S. judge rules Microsoft violated antitrust lawApril 3, 2000
- Facebook suspends Cambridge AnalyticaMarch 16, 2018
- EU designates Big Tech gatekeepers under Digital Markets ActSeptember 6, 2023