During his testimony, Mark Zuckerberg admitted he bought Instagram because it had a better camera than Facebook’s|Anthony Quintano|CC BY 2.0
Mark Zuckerberg took the stand this week in a landmark antitrust lawsuit and denied claims that Meta acquired Instagram and WhatsApp to crush competition.
The Federal Trade Commission-led trial seeks to force the tech giant to reverse its acquisitions.
Admission supports “buy or bury” claims
During his testimony, Zuckerberg admitted he bought Instagram because it had a better camera than Facebook’s. He described Instagram as a “rapidly growing, threatening network.”
His statements support the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) claim that Meta used a “buy or bury” strategy to eliminate rivals and protect its monopoly. It also pointed out that in 2018, Zuckerberg considered spinning off Instagram, anticipating a possible antitrust lawsuit. But Meta counters and says his past intentions are irrelevant because:
- The FTC did not account for Meta’s competitors, which include YouTube, TikTok, Apple’s messaging app and X.
- The commission has also inaccurately defined the social media market.
The FTC argues that Meta holds a monopoly on platforms that are used for content sharing between friends and family.
The case, filed during Donald Trump’s first term, tests how the government plans to regulate Big Tech.