Mark Zuckerberg called to testify in Facebook parent Meta’s antitrust trial

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the meta platform, took the position to protect his social media agency from Federal complaints in Washington DC, courtroom on Monday.

Meta is facing with the Federal Trade Commission on Monday, the main organization of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, for the first day of a landmark disbelief, which could be a company breakup. For Zuckerberg, the case can determine whether a student at Harvard University will still be forced to get separated can decide whether he started building the business empire.

The first major test of the FTC’s desire will be to challenge Republicans long -term target Big Tech. Before the amendment in 2021, Mr Trump’s first term meta in 2021 – then Facebook was called – the first case was filed against it.

According to this, FTC complained of Meta as a “anticipative conduct”, accusing the company’s Instagram and WhatsApp ownership of the social media market.

The sketch of a courtroom shows Matta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the stand that the first day of the technology company’s federal disbelief is in Washington, DC on April 14, 2025.

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In his inaugural statement for the agency on Monday, FTC Lead Attorney Daniel Mathson said, “There is nothing wrong with the meta innovation,” Daniel Mathson said, “This is a problem.”

During his testimony on Monday, Zuckerberg defended the decision to buy Instagram and pressed against the FTC that he did not invest in developing the app.

Buying by Facebook in 2012 and 2014, respectively, has become Instagram and WhatsApp social media power houses.

To restore the competition, Meta must participate in Instagram and WhatsApp, the government agency has said in the court filing. The FTCO also wants the Meta government to provide the previous notice to any future attachment and acquisition.

Here is what you need to know as the landmark trial is running.

How long will the meta trial last and who will testify?

The trial, which started in Washington, DC Federal Court on Monday, is expected to last several weeks.

The US District Judge James Boasberg will preside over the case, which will see multiple witnesses, including Meta CEO and founder Juckerberg; Former Meta Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg; Former Meta Chief Technology Officer Mike Shroffar; Instagram co-founder Kevin Sostrome; And executives from rival social media platforms.

What is happening in court today?

The FTC and Meta made their opening argument on Monday that the witness’s testimony was expected to begin in the afternoon.

Lead FTC Attorney Mathson said in his inaugural statement that Meta was fighting to compete with the fast -growing WhatsApp and Instagram platform, and in buying them, Technology Giants were “removing immediate threats” in their market.

Meta says the company “did nothing wrong” by earning Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta Attorney Mark Hansen said in his inaugural statement that the ownership of the two applications has increased considerablely under the ownership of the technology company and there is no evidence to prove the meta.

Hansen said if Mater had exclusive energy, it would apply control over pricing on social media space. However, Mater services are free, he mentioned. “How can FTC retain this exclusive case [Meta] Hansen said “The percentage of users never charged.

After making the inaugural statement, Zuckerberg was the first person who called on the stand for the testimony. Herself
The testimony originally focused on Facebook’s efforts to create a rival photo app that could compete with Instagram before deciding to buy the company in 2012.

Zuckerberg admitted that Facebook was fighting with mobile users in the early 20’s. “Our whole company was built at that point” for the desktop.

Referring to the email communications sent by the Meta Executive, the FTC mentions that Zuckerberg was monitoring the progress of the contesting Instagram. Facebook was then working to launch a new photo app.

According to the FTC, Zuckerberg sent an email on February 28 that “Instagram seems to be growing fast”, which mentioned their numbers and uploads.

In 2002, Zuckerberg sent another email so that he described his argument for buying Instagram, according to the FTC, it was a good photo sharing network. At this point Facebook was “so far behind that we don’t understand how much we are behind,” he added, “I fear that it will take us too long to catch it.”

Zuckerberg is expected to return to court on Tuesday morning to continue the testimony.

What is at risk?

The showdown is the most notable legal challenge against Meta in the company’s nearly 20 years history. If FTC is successful, Meta may be forced to divest Instagram and WhatsApp. Instagram, which has been owned for more than a decade, has been half of the company’s overall advertising income.

“Instagram has long been the slack for Facebook, especially among the young people,” the emerger analyst Jasmine Enberg told the Associated Press.

“This trial also comes since Meta General Z and younger users are trying to bring back Facebook in an attempt to join social media. The use of social media is much more fragmented today than 2012, when Facebook acquired Instagram, and Facebook where the cool college children no longer hang.

The headquarters in Menlo Park, California, earned more than $ 1 billion in 2021 in 2021. Facebook and Instagram are two profitable social media platforms in the world.

In a statement issued on Sunday, April 7, Meta said that “this trial may not be higher for US customers and businesses.”

What is Meta saying?

The social media company has called FTC’s case “weak” and says it has been confronted with strict competition from Tikatok and YouTube by adding “ignoring reality”. Both platforms surpass Facebook and Instagram that users spend how long each.

“In the end, a bad idea cases like this, the companies will think twice before investing in innovation, knowing that they can be punished if that innovation leads to success,” Meta’s statement is written. “At the top of it, in this vulnerable case taxpayers are spending a few million dollars.”

“FTC’s case against Meta denies the reality,” Meta’s spokesman told CBS Moneywatch. “The evidence of justice shows what the world knows about 17 years of age: Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp compete with Chinese -owned Tickets, YouTube, X, IMS and many more.”

The spokesperson added, “The regulators should support American innovation, but to try to break a great American company and give China more convenient on critical issues like AI,” the spokesperson said.

FTC did not respond to any request for commenting.

When did this case begin?

The history of the meta case has been extended for several years. The FTC initially filed a case in the first term of President Trump’s office in 2021.

US District James Bosberg on June 2021 Dismissed The incredible case taken by the FTC, claiming that the cases were “legally insufficient” and did not provide adequate evidence to prove Facebook as exclusive.

According to the Washington Post, the federal judge has subsequently cleared the case after the FTC’s amended allegations were introduced.

Contributed to this report.

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