Meta Faces Antitrust Trial amid Political Tensions and Alleged Monopoly Claims

Meta begins a landmark antitrust trial as the FTC accuses it of monopolising social media. Political ties, especially with Trump, raise questions about interference.

Meta Platforms Inc. will go to trial on Monday in what could become a pivotal moment for the future of Big Tech regulation in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is pursuing a landmark antitrust case, accusing the company of illegally maintaining a social media monopoly through years of anticompetitive acquisitions and behaviour.

If the FTC prevails, Meta could be forced to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, a move that would reverberate across the tech industry and set a powerful precedent for future enforcement actions against large digital platforms.

However, while the legal case hinges on competition law, the political atmosphere surrounding the trial is far from neutral.

Although the FTC traditionally operates as an independent agency, former President Donald Trump’s second term has seen a breakdown of institutional norms, including allegations of political interference in regulatory affairs. Trump recently fired two Democratic FTC commissioners, a move that is now being challenged in court as unlawful.

At the same time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has actively courted favour with Trump through private meetings, public overtures, and platform changes viewed as aligning with the president’s agenda. Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal revealed that Zuckerberg was at the White House on April 2 and allegedly lobbied Trump to intervene in the FTC’s case.

Former Labour Secretary Robert Reich criticised the relationship, noting Zuckerberg’s $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund and calling the latest lobbying efforts “a textbook example of power and money colliding.”

Despite their past tensions, Trump has recently spoken more warmly about Zuckerberg, especially after a post-election dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Meanwhile, Meta has taken a more Trump-aligned tone, calling for regulators to “support American innovation” instead of threatening to weaken the U.S. in its tech rivalry with China.

The Case at Trial: Monopoly or Market Leader?

The FTC’s case began during Trump’s first term, with bipartisan backing from dozens of state attorneys general. After an initial dismissal in 2021, the complaint was refiled under President Biden’s appointees with a stronger foundation. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who will preside over the non-jury trial, denied Meta’s motion to dismiss and has a history of high-profile rulings, including against Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.

Meta plans to argue that its platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—are part of a highly competitive landscape, citing rivals like TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and iMessage. The company maintains that it did not build a monopoly, but rather, has thrived through innovation in a dynamic digital ecosystem.
Source: CNN 
Image: Reddit