US judge rules Meta purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp did not stifle competition

A federal judge ruled in favor of Meta Platforms on Tuesday, saying the company did not illegally stifle competition by buying Instagram and WhatsApp, giving Big Tech its first decisive win against the antitrust crackdown started in President Donald Trump’s first term.

The ruling is a major setback for the US Federal Trade Commission, which is pursuing a separate antitrust case against Amazon. The agency sought to force Meta to restructure or sell Instagram and WhatsApp in order to restore competition among social media networks.

Meta argued at trial…