Prosecutors are reviewing old emails from Mark Zuckerberg, showing that the Meta CEO had antitrust concerns long before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought its case against the company. The emails reveal Zuckerberg’s worries about rival companies and strategic moves made by Facebook.
During a 10-hour testimony session, lawyers for the FTC grilled Zuckerberg over his email exchanges with top executives. One email from 2018 expressed concerns that Facebook’s expanding empire would lead to antitrust regulation requiring the company to split off other apps. Another message, written in 2012, highlighted the importance of acquiring Instagram.
Zuckerberg’s emails also showed concern about WhatsApp’s rise outside the US and a meeting with its cofounder Jan Koum. If the FTC wins the case, it may ask Meta to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp.
Legal experts say that proving Meta “cemented” its monopoly would be challenging, as the FTC already approved these mergers years ago. Mark Zuckerberg’s messages reveal his constant worry about potential rivals and strategic moves made by Facebook, but his lawyers argue that it was a natural part of being the CEO of a growing company.
The trial, which began Monday, is expected to last up to eight weeks. The high-profile start with Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg as prosecution witnesses has raised attention about the FTC’s case against Meta.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/zuckerberg-meta-antitrust-trial-emails-ftc-2025-4