As antitrust trial begins, Meta faces potential breakup

The trial is expected to last about two months and feature testimony as soon as this week from CEO Zuckerberg

- Bloomberg

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is finally having its day in court against Meta Platforms Inc., arguing that the company must be broken up for illegally monopolizing the social media market after buying Instagram and WhatsApp more than a decade ago.

The FTC's opening salvo began on Monday in Washington before chief judge James Boasberg in a case that's been years in the making. Agency attorneys kicked off their arguments by invoking a long US tradition of seeking to ensure a competitive marketplace, one that the FTC's lead trial lawyer, Daniel Matheson, accused Meta of violating.