Meta Rebuffed by FTC on Barring Khan From Within Merger Case (2)

The US Federal Trade Commission denied a request by Meta Platforms Inc. to bar Lina Khan, the commission’s chair, from an antitrust case challenging its proposed acquisition of a virtual-reality startup.

The agency voted 2-1 in Khan’s favor, with the Republican on the commission dissenting, according to a court filing on Thursday. The decision will allow the FTC’s case to move forward.

A federal judge in California on Wednesday denied the FTC’s request to block the deal while an in-house trial over the Within Unlimited acquisition moves forward. US District Judge Edward Davila agreed to pause the deal for ...