Overview
- The Federal Trade Commission filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after a November 2025 ruling tossed its case against Meta.
- The suit targets Meta’s 2012 Instagram and 2014 WhatsApp purchases, alleging the deals helped illegally maintain dominance and could warrant divestitures if the agency ultimately prevails.
- U.S. District Judge James Boasberg found Meta does not currently hold monopoly power, citing rivals such as TikTok and YouTube and user-behavior data showing limited time spent on friends’ content.
- FTC officials argue the court misapplied the law by focusing on Meta’s position at trial rather than over a longer period, asserting the trial record supports reviving the case.
- Meta says the dismissal was correct and reflects fierce competition, while the appeal keeps the prospect of structural remedies alive and could take months or longer to resolve.