Report: Facebook Antitrust Probe Focuses on Acquisitions that Made It a ‘Social Networking Juggernaut’

A group of state attorneys general, led by the New York Attorney General Letitia James, is reportedly on track to file antitrust charges against tech giant Facebook in early December with a focus on the company’s acquisition of WhatsApp and Instagram.

CNET reports that tech giant Facebook is soon to face a number of challenges as a group of state attorneys general led by the New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to file antitrust charges against the social media firm. The move coincides with the FTC reportedly finalizing its own antitrust probe into Facebook.

State and federal investigators reportedly plan to bring antitrust charges against Facebook over its acquisitions of the video and photo-sharing app Instagram and the messaging service WhatsApp, claiming that the deals “helped create an anti-competitive social networking juggernaut.” Investigators are reportedly likely to argue that Facebook also weaponized its vast trove of user data to quash rivals.

Over 40 attorneys general have joined the probe into Facebook which was announced in September and focuses primarily on Facebook’s dominance and anticompetitive conduct. The FTC is also reportedly entering the final phases of its own investigation which is separate from the states’ probe. The FTC could file charges against the social media giant before the end of the year and is also part of a larger U.S. antitrust investigation into tech companies.

is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com