Meta wins antitrust case over Whatsapp, Instagram deals

Meta has won a major antitrust case after a US federal judge ruled that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp did not break US antitrust laws.

The decision came from US District Judge James Boasberg, who said the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) failed to prove Meta still holds monopoly power in social networking.

The court found that competitors like TikTok and YouTube offer similar features and compete strongly with Meta for users and ad revenue.

Boasberg noted that Meta’s market share, measured by time spent on its apps, is now below 50%, though the exact figure was not disclosed.

The lawsuit, filed by the FTC in 2020, accused Meta of buying Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 to eliminate competition.

This outcome marks a setback for US regulators, as it is one of several ongoing antitrust cases against major tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Apple.

Meta shares recovered some losses after the ruling.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

The ruling is appealable and regulatory uncertainty persists

The court ruled against the FTC 1. The agency said it was “deeply disappointed” and is “reviewing all of its options”, which may prompt more action 1.
FTC spokesperson Joe Simonson questioned judge Boasberg’s impartiality 1. He has clashed with the Trump administration and faces impeachment efforts by some Republicans (attempts to remove him from the federal bench), which adds political risk for any appeal 1.
The judge focused on current market conditions rather than 2020 when the suit was filed 2. He said the agency must prove Meta “continues to hold such power now”, which could complicate cases in fast moving tech 2.

Cross-platform ad spend is accelerating for advertisers and ad tech vendors

Boasberg said TikTok and YouTube now go head to head with Meta’s apps 2. He wrote that the platforms have “nearly identical” features and that they “compete fiercely over a meaningful share of Meta’s business”, which affects user time and ad budgets 2.
Instagram’s average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) hit $9.46 in Q2 2025, according to eMarketer (a digital advertising research firm) 3. That price sits above Facebook’s, and creator-driven ad revenue is on track to grow about 20% in 2025 4. Vendors with unified campaign tools across these higher priced platforms can meet rising demand from advertisers seeking return on investment (ROI).
Content creators (independent individuals building audiences on platforms) are set to overtake traditional media in ad revenue this year 4. Creator-driven income could more than double to $376.6 billion by 2030 4. Agencies and platforms that enable creator collaborations across Meta, TikTok, and YouTube can ride this shift as brands use more user-generated content (UGC).