The Federal Trade Commission's high-stakes antitrust trial against Meta begins Monday, culminating nearly six years of investigation. At the heart of the trial is Meta's acquisition of Instagram (2012) and WhatsApp (2014), which the FTC alleges were strategic moves to eliminate competition and dominate the social media landscape. The government argues Meta employed a “buy or bury” tactic, acquiring or crushing rising threats a strategy that allegedly violates antitrust laws.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg, former COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify in a trial anticipated to last nearly two months. Meta refutes the charges, claiming it faces fierce competition from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and X.

With internal emails suggesting intent to “neutralize” rivals, and past administrations from Trump to Biden backing the case, the trial could lead to unprecedented outcomes possibly forcing Meta to break up. The verdict could reshape the future of Big Tech forever.