Mark Zuckerberg’s private emails regarding Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram over a decade ago have become a focal point in Meta’s ongoing antitrust trial. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has presented a series of emails that suggest Meta used a ‘buy or bury’ strategy to eliminate competition. In a 2012 email, Zuckerberg stated that acquiring Instagram would ‘neutralize a competitor,’ a phrase FTC attorney Daniel Matheson labeled as a ‘smoking gun.’ Additionally, a 2018 email revealed Zuckerberg considering spinning off Instagram to preempt regulatory action. The FTC argues these emails demonstrate Meta’s anticompetitive practices. Zuckerberg testified, defending the emails as reflecting his paranoia about competitors rather than anticompetitive intent. He emphasized Meta’s competitive landscape, including threats from TikTok and other platforms. The trial’s outcome hinges on how Judge James Boasberg defines Meta’s market. A Meta spokesperson criticized the FTC’s case, stating it ignores reality and sends a message that no deal is final. The emails and testimony could have broader implications for Meta’s ongoing scrutiny by Congress and regulators.
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