Judge Dismisses Government Antitrust Lawsuits Against Facebook
Voice of America
A federal judge on Monday dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general, dealing a significant blow to attempts by regulators to rein in tech giants.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Monday that the lawsuits were "legally insufficient" and didn't provide enough evidence to prove that Facebook was a monopoly. The ruling dismisses the complaint but not the case, meaning the FTC could refile another complaint. "These allegations — which do not even provide an estimated actual figure or range for Facebook's market share at any point over the past 10 years — ultimately fall short of plausibly establishing that Facebook holds market power," he said. The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook in December 2020, accusing the tech giant of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network's Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services.
Classical violinist Stefan Jackiw plays the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius violin during a preview of the violin's auction at Sotheby’s in New York, Feb. 3, 2025. The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius violin sits on display during a preview of the violin's auction at Sotheby’s in New York, Feb. 3, 2025.
An employee of La Granja Live Poultry Corp. cleans the floor inside the store, Feb. 7, 2025, in New York.
FILE - The Deepseek logo, a keyboard and robot hands are seen in this illustration made Jan. 27, 2025.
FILE - A woman queues at Phedisong clinic on April 8, 2013, during the launch of the new single dose anti-AIDS drug in Ga-Rankuwa, north of Johannesburg. South Africa is considered a success story for its treatment for and prevention of HIV.
FILE - Cows are seen at a dairy in California, Nov. 23, 2016. Genome sequencing of milk from Nevada has identified a different strain of bird flu in dairy cows for the first time, the USDA said Feb. 5, 2025.
FILE - This photograph taken on Dec. 7, 2021, shows the World Health Organization's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Argentina will pull out of the WHO, a presidential spokesperson said on Feb. 5, 2025.
FILE - The Google Store displays items in Mountain View, California, Oct. 11, 2023.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's choice to be the secretary of health and human services, testifies before the Senate Finance Committee during his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025.
FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron attends the commemoration ceremony for the 80th anniversary of the Allied Liberation of the eastern France city of Colmar at the end of World War II, in Colmar on Feb. 2, 2025.
Violinist Stefan Jackiw plays the 1714 Joachim-Ma Stradivarius at Sotheby's auction house in New York on Feb. 3, 2025, where it is expected to sell for $12 million to $18 million this week.
Beyonce accepts the award for album of the year for Cowboy Carter during the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. Blue Ivy Carter looks on from right.
FILE - Gerber baby food products are seen on shelves at a store in Libertyview Industrial Plaza, in Brooklyn, New York, Sept. 14, 2022.
FILE - Beyonce accepts the award for best dance/electronic music album for "Renaissance" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles.