The Federal Trade Commission has filed a notice to appeal a November 2025 decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that ruled in favor of Meta Platforms in the agency’s long-running monopolization case. The appeal will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The FTC argues that the lower court erred in rejecting claims that Meta unlawfully preserved dominance in personal social networking for more than a decade. According to the agency, the trial record showed that Meta neutralized competitive pressure by acquiring emerging rivals it viewed as threats, most notably Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than competing on the merits.
FTC Bureau of Competition Director Daniel Guarnera said the agency would continue pressing the case, framing it as central to market fairness and consumer choice, noting “The U.S. economy thrives when competition can flourish, and U.S. businesses compete fairly against one another.” He added that Meta “maintained its dominant position and record profits for well over a decade not through legitimate competition, but by buying its most significant competitive threats.” The appeal signals the commission’s intent to revive claims that the acquisitions cemented Meta’s market power and harmed competition. The outcome at the appellate level could shape future enforcement standards for mergers involving dominant technology platforms and determine how aggressively regulators can challenge past acquisitions in fast-moving digital markets.
