Meta Asks Judge to Throw Out FTC Antitrust Case Before Trial (1)

Meta Platforms Inc. asked a judge to dismiss the US Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit seeking to break up the company, saying the agency can’t prove consumers would be better off without its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.

In a court filing Friday, Meta rejected the FTC’s claim that its purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp were designed to take out competitors. Meta said it had spent billions of dollars to develop the two properties, which it argued wouldn’t have become as successful without Meta’s support.

“The FTC has no evidence that the acquisition of either Instagram in 2012 or ...