Is this the end of WhatsApp and Instagram? What we know about the historic change proposed by the U.S.

A major legal battle between Meta and the U.S. government could lead to one of the most significant shifts in the tech industry in recent years. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accused Meta of monopolistic practices, and if the case succeeds, Meta might be forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, two of the most widely used apps in the world.

The FTC’s accusations and Meta’s defense

The FTC claims that Meta acquired Instagram and WhatsApp not to improve their services, but to eliminate competition. According to the commission, these acquisitions left the market with few viable alternatives, preventing other platforms from growing. Meta, however, argues that it faces stiff competition from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and X, and says its market share does not qualify as monopolistic.

Billions invested, billions of users

Meta defends its ownership by highlighting that it invested billions of dollars to develop these apps, transforming them into the products billions of users rely on today. The company insists that this effort brought innovation and value, not market distortion. They also argue that comparing Meta with only TikTok and YouTube underrepresents the full scope of social media competition.

A potential breakup on the horizon

If the FTC’s lawsuit is successful, Meta could be forced to divest from Instagram and WhatsApp, an outcome that would reshape the global tech ecosystem. Such a decision would mark a historic precedent in U.S. regulation of the digital economy. For now, Meta is fighting back, but the stakes couldn’t be higher for the company and for users around the world.