Facebook Says Antitrust Case Consolidation Would Be ‘Premature’

Facebook Inc. is asking a District of Columbia federal court to delay deciding whether it will consolidate two antitrust lawsuits until the social media giant has had time to answer the complaints.

Facebook—targeted last month in separate suits brought by the Federal Trade Commission and by 48 attorneys general—says consolidation should wait because certain claims and parties “may take different paths,” according to a memorandum filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

“As it is possible that some claims and parties in these governmental actions may similarly be dismissed, the prudent course is to decide ...