Meta Platforms, beforehand often known as Fb, had sought to have an amended federal antitrust lawsuit dismissed.
Photograph:
Constanza Hevia H. for The Wall Avenue Journal
WASHINGTON—A federal choose on Tuesday dominated the Federal Commerce Fee can transfer ahead with its revised antitrust case alleging Meta Platforms Inc.’s
Fb
FB 1.92%
unit is abusing a monopoly place in social media, rejecting the corporate’s request to dismiss the federal government’s amended lawsuit.
“Though the company could properly face a tall process down the street in proving its allegations, the court docket believes that it has now cleared the pleading bar and should proceed to discovery,” U.S. District Choose
James Boasberg
in Washington, D.C., mentioned in a 48-page opinion.
The FTC first filed its antitrust case in opposition to Fb close to the top of 2020, however Choose Boasberg dealt the fee a authorized blow final June, dismissing the lawsuit on the grounds that it didn’t provide ample allegations that the social-media big engaged in illegal monopolization.
The FTC responded with a brand new model of its grievance, which provided longer, extra detailed allegations in opposition to the corporate.
The choose’s Tuesday ruling mentioned the FTC can proceed with its core allegation that Fb unlawfully sought to suppress competitors by shopping for up potential rivals such because the messaging platform WhatsApp and image-sharing app Instagram. The fee is searching for to unwind these offers.
Write to Brent Kendall at brent.kendall@wsj.com
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