Latest news with #MeWe
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about the Meta trial as judge weighs decision
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Meta have wrapped up a six-week trial over the Facebook and Instagram parent's alleged social networking monopoly, leaving the final decision in the hands of the judge. The trial, which came to a close last week, seeks to determine whether Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking that the company entrenched with its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Here's what to know about the trial and what comes next: The FTC's trial with Meta represented a full-circle moment for the second Trump administration, after the agency originally brought the case at the tail end of President Trump's first administration. The agency sued Meta, then known as Facebook, in December 2020. The case came as part of a push by the Trump administration to take aim at major tech firms, following the Department of Justice's (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit against Google. Big Tech scrutiny has been an area of rare continuity between both Trump administrations and the Biden administration. Under former President Biden, the DOJ brought a second antitrust case against Google, as well as a lawsuit against Apple. The FTC also sued Amazon. While Trump's firing of two Democratic FTC commissioners has raised questions about his commitment to aggressive antitrust enforcement, the agency notably did not step away from the Meta trial in the face of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's lobbying for a settlement. The Meta CEO reportedly courted Trump and White House officials to settle the case in the weeks leading up to the trial. Zuckerberg, who had a contentious relationship with the president in the wake of Meta's decision to ban Trump from its platforms following the Jan. 6 riots, seemed eager to mend fences after November's election. Like numerous other tech leaders, Zuckerberg traveled to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., to visit Trump before he took office, contributed $1 million to his inaugural fund and received a front-row seat at his inauguration. However, these efforts don't appear to have paid dividends. The Meta CEO's initial offer of $450 million was brushed aside, with the FTC demanding at least $18 billion and a consent decree, according to The Wall Street Journal. Zuckerberg reportedly upped his offer to $1 billion, but to no avail. The Meta trial began mid-April, and the FTC immediately called Zuckerberg to the stand, where he spent three days facing questions. At the heart of the trial is the FTC's claim that Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking — a market that includes Meta's apps, Snapchat and MeWe and is centered on sharing between family and friends. Meta has pushed back on this market definition, arguing it faces competition from a much broader swath of social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, X and iMessage. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has seemed skeptical of the FTC's proposed market, noted Geoffrey Manne, president and founder of the International Center for Law & Economics. 'The judge has expressed some reservations about the way the FTC is trying to demonstrate its market definition, but obviously the underlying issue is monopoly power,' Manne told The Hill. 'It's a really tough case in this regard because … there seems to be no qualitative evidence that's really going to answer the question,' he added. Boasberg's concerns about the market have been a 'recurring theme' in his comments going back to November, when he refused to dismiss the case, said former FTC Commissioner William Kovacic. 'He nonetheless cautioned that the government had important hurdles to clear, and one of them was the relevant market,' Kovacic said. 'It's always a little bit risky to infer a specific point of view from questions that are posed or comments that are made in the courtroom, but it seems to me that the judge still has doubts about the delineation of the relevant market, and the FTC has to defend its definition or the case founders,' he continued. Because most social media platforms are free, it's not possible to identify Meta's competitors using price data, as antitrust cases often do, Manne noted. Instead, the FTC and Meta have had to rely on other forms of evidence to back up their claims. The government has used advertising load, contending Meta has placed more advertisements on Instagram than it would otherwise, degrading the user experience. Meta, on the other hand, has relied on user data, showing that users move between TikTok and Meta's platforms interchangeably. For instance, the company pointed to data finding that when TikTok briefly went dark in January, it drove users to Facebook and Instagram. 'After six weeks trying their case to undo acquisitions made over a decade ago and show that no deal is ever truly final, the only thing the FTC showed was the dynamic, hyper-competitive nature of the past, present and future of the technology industry,' a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. 'Meta is a proud American success story, and we look forward to continuing to innovate and serve the people and businesses who love our services,' they continued. The FTC has accused Meta of violating antitrust law by attempting to eliminate potential competitors with two key acquisitions — its purchases of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. The focus on Meta's acquisitions creates a real risk for the social media giant that a loss could result in a breakup. However, the FTC may also be facing an uphill battle as it tries to prove the Instagram and WhatsApp purchases were anticompetitive, blocking the two once independent companies from developing into Facebook competitors. This results in a 'highly speculative world' that relies heavily on Meta's intent at the time, Manne said. 'You have an entity like Instagram that may or may not have been in any way successful, that may or may not have evolved in a way to actually be a challenge to Facebook, that may or may not have evolved in any way to become bigger than it was when Facebook bought it,' he told The Hill. 'It's never going to be dispositive, and I guess I'm afraid, from the FTC perspective, that they don't have a lot more than that,' he added. The FTC has presented numerous emails and messages from Meta executives, including Zuckerberg, suggesting they had real concerns about Instagram and WhatsApp becoming threats to Facebook prior to the acquisition. 'I thought The FTC did a good job of … reconstructing Facebook's state of mind when the mergers took place, and I think they did a good job of underscoring Meta's anxiety that the transactions were necessary in order to forestall the emergence of competitive rivals,' Kovacic said. 'Yet, even so, it seemed to me that the real core issue in the case is not so much what Meta has perceived at the time, but rather the actual consequence of the mergers as they unfold throughout the decade,' he added. The trial has wrapped, but the two sides have a post-trial briefing schedule that stretches into September, meaning any decision is unlikely before the fall. If the judge rules against Meta, the case would progress to a second phase to determine the proper remedies. Google, which was found last August to have an illegal monopoly over online search, overlapped with Meta at the Washington courthouse in April and May, where it appeared for a three-week remedies hearing. The search giant is seeking to keep its company together as the DOJ pushes for a breakup that would split off its Chrome browser. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
What to know about the Meta trial as judge weighs decision
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Meta have wrapped up a six-week trial over the Facebook and Instagram parent's alleged social networking monopoly, leaving the final decision in the hands of the judge. The trial, which came to a close last week, seeks to determine whether Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking that the company entrenched with its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Here's what to know about the trial and what comes next: The FTC's trial with Meta represented a full-circle moment for the second Trump administration, after the agency originally brought the case at the tail end of President Trump's first administration. The agency sued Meta, then known as Facebook, in December 2020. The case came as part of a push by the Trump administration to take aim at major tech firms, following the Department of Justice's (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit against Google. Big Tech scrutiny has been an area of rare continuity between both Trump administrations and the Biden administration. Under former President Biden, the DOJ brought a second antitrust case against Google, as well as a lawsuit against Apple. The FTC also sued Amazon. While Trump's firing of two Democratic FTC commissioners has raised questions about his commitment to aggressive antitrust enforcement, the agency notably did not step away from the Meta trial in the face of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's lobbying for a settlement. The Meta CEO reportedly courted Trump and White House officials to settle the case in the weeks leading up to the trial. Zuckerberg, who had a contentious relationship with the president in the wake of Meta's decision to ban Trump from its platforms following the Jan. 6 riots, seemed eager to mend fences after November's election. Like numerous other tech leaders, Zuckerberg traveled to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., to visit Trump before he took office, contributed $1 million to his inaugural fund and received a front-row seat at his inauguration. However, these efforts don't appear to have paid dividends. The Meta CEO's initial offer of $450 million was brushed aside, with the FTC demanding at least $18 billion and a consent decree, according to The Wall Street Journal. Zuckerberg reportedly upped his offer to $1 billion, but to no avail. The Meta trial began mid-April, and the FTC immediately called Zuckerberg to the stand, where he spent three days facing questions. At the heart of the trial is the FTC's claim that Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking — a market that includes Meta's apps, Snapchat and MeWe and is centered on sharing between family and friends. Meta has pushed back on this market definition, arguing it faces competition from a much broader swath of social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, X and iMessage. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has seemed skeptical of the FTC's proposed market, noted Geoffrey Manne, president and founder of the International Center for Law & Economics. 'The judge has expressed some reservations about the way the FTC is trying to demonstrate its market definition, but obviously the underlying issue is monopoly power,' Manne told The Hill. 'It's a really tough case in this regard because … there seems to be no qualitative evidence that's really going to answer the question,' he added. Boasberg's concerns about the market have been a 'recurring theme' in his comments going back to November, when he refused to dismiss the case, said former FTC Commissioner William Kovacic. 'He nonetheless cautioned that the government had important hurdles to clear, and one of them was the relevant market,' Kovacic said. 'It's always a little bit risky to infer a specific point of view from questions that are posed or comments that are made in the courtroom, but it seems to me that the judge still has doubts about the delineation of the relevant market, and the FTC has to defend its definition or the case founders,' he continued. Because most social media platforms are free, it's not possible to identify Meta's competitors using price data, as antitrust cases often do, Manne noted. Instead, the FTC and Meta have had to rely on other forms of evidence to back up their claims. The government has used advertising load, contending Meta has placed more advertisements on Instagram than it would otherwise, degrading the user experience. Meta, on the other hand, has relied on user data, showing that users move between TikTok and Meta's platforms interchangeably. For instance, the company pointed to data finding that when TikTok briefly went dark in January, it drove users to Facebook and Instagram. 'After six weeks trying their case to undo acquisitions made over a decade ago and show that no deal is ever truly final, the only thing the FTC showed was the dynamic, hyper-competitive nature of the past, present and future of the technology industry,' a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. 'Meta is a proud American success story, and we look forward to continuing to innovate and serve the people and businesses who love our services,' they continued. The FTC has accused Meta of violating antitrust law by attempting to eliminate potential competitors with two key acquisitions — its purchases of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. The focus on Meta's acquisitions creates a real risk for the social media giant that a loss could result in a breakup. However, the FTC may also be facing an uphill battle as it tries to prove the Instagram and WhatsApp purchases were anticompetitive, blocking the two once independent companies from developing into Facebook competitors. This results in a 'highly speculative world' that relies heavily on Meta's intent at the time, Manne said. 'You have an entity like Instagram that may or may not have been in any way successful, that may or may not have evolved in a way to actually be a challenge to Facebook, that may or may not have evolved in any way to become bigger than it was when Facebook bought it,' he told The Hill. 'It's never going to be dispositive, and I guess I'm afraid, from the FTC perspective, that they don't have a lot more than that,' he added. The FTC has presented numerous emails and messages from Meta executives, including Zuckerberg, suggesting they had real concerns about Instagram and WhatsApp becoming threats to Facebook prior to the acquisition. 'I thought The FTC did a good job of … reconstructing Facebook's state of mind when the mergers took place, and I think they did a good job of underscoring Meta's anxiety that the transactions were necessary in order to forestall the emergence of competitive rivals,' Kovacic said. 'Yet, even so, it seemed to me that the real core issue in the case is not so much what Meta has perceived at the time, but rather the actual consequence of the mergers as they unfold throughout the decade,' he added. The trial has wrapped, but the two sides have a post-trial briefing schedule that stretches into September, meaning any decision is unlikely before the fall. If the judge rules against Meta, the case would progress to a second phase to determine the proper remedies. Google, which was found last August to have an illegal monopoly over online search, overlapped with Meta at the Washington courthouse in April and May, where it appeared for a three-week remedies hearing. The search giant is seeking to keep its company together as the DOJ pushes for a breakup that would split off its Chrome browser.
The Hill
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Meta faces moment of truth
The Big Story The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Meta have wrapped up a six-week trial over the Facebook and Instagram parent's alleged social networking monopoly, leaving the final decision in the hands of the judge. © Thibault Camus, Associated Press The trial, which came to a close last week, seeks to determine whether Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking that the company entrenched with its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Here's what to know about the trial and what comes next: Full-circle moment for Trump administration The FTC's trial with Meta represented a full-circle moment for the second Trump administration, after the agency originally brought the case at the tail end of President Trump's first administration. The agency sued Meta, then known as Facebook, in December 2020. The case came as part of a push by the Trump administration to take aim at major tech firms, following the Department of Justice's (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit against Google. Zuckerberg tries to settle, ends up on stand Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly courted Trump and White House officials to settle the case in the weeks leading up to the trial. However, these efforts don't appear to have paid dividends. The Meta CEO's initial offer of $450 million was brushed aside, with the FTC demanding at least $18 billion and a consent decree, according to The Wall Street Journal. Zuckerberg reportedly upped his offer to $1 billion, but to no avail. The Meta trial began mid-April, and the FTC immediately called Zuckerberg to the stand, where he spent three days facing questions. Who is Meta's competition? At the heart of the trial is the FTC's claim that Meta has a monopoly over personal social networking — a market that includes Meta's apps, as well as Snapchat and MeWe and is centered on sharing between family and friends. Meta has pushed back on this market definition, arguing it faces competition from a much broader swath of social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, X and iMessage. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has seemed skeptical of the FTC's proposed market, noted Geoffrey Manne, president and founder of the International Center for Law & Economics. 'The judge has expressed some reservations about the way the FTC is trying to demonstrate its market definition, but obviously the underlying issue is monopoly power,' Manne told The Hill. Read more in a full report at tomorrow. Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, we're Miranda Nazzaro and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: Greene says she'll oppose Trump's 'big beautiful bill' if AI provision isn't removed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is calling on the Senate to eliminate a provision that would ban state regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) from President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' arguing it violates states' rights. 'Full transparency, I did not know about this section on pages 278-279 of the OBBB that strips states of the right to make laws or regulate AI for 10 years,' Greene … Warren releases 130-accusation report on Elon Musk's tenure Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday released a 130-accusation report on tech billionaire Elon Musk's time as a special government employee, arguing he profited from his work in the Trump administration. 'While serving as a 'Special Government Employee' in the White House and leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has maintained extensive financial conflicts of interest through his ownership or stake … 'Disgusting abomination': Elon Musk tears into Trump megabill Billionaire Elon Musk ramped up his criticism of the megabill of President Trump's tax cut and spending priorities, calling the legislation a 'disgusting abomination.' 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,' Musk posted Tuesday on his social platform X. 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know … Speaker Johnson calls Musk criticism of Trump agenda bill 'terribly wrong' Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday said Elon Musk's sharp criticism of the party's massive tax cuts and spending bill is 'terribly wrong.' The comments came minutes after Musk torched the sprawling package on X, calling it 'a disgusting abomination.' 'Let me say this: It's very disappointing,' Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, later adding: 'With all due respect, my friend Elon is terribly wrong about the one big, … The Refresh News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: Crypto Corner A new crypto wallet for $TRUMP token? © Samuel Corum/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington. Magic Eden, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, announced Tuesday it is partnering with the team behind the $TRUMP memecoin to launch a crypto wallet. A crypto wallet is a tool that allows users to store and manage their cryptocurrencies or other blockchain assets. In a statement on X, Magic Eden said the wallet is 'coming soon,' and described it as the 'first and only crypto wallet for true Trump fans.' A waitlist for the $TRUMP Wallet began Tuesday at and Magic Eden said it will offer up to $1 million in $TRUMP rewards for those who sign up or refer at least one other person. The wallet, like the $TRUMP meme coin, is marketed with a graphic of President Trump, and is the latest expansion of Trump's crypto ventures. Both the president and first lady have meme coins with their image and likeness. Jack Lu, the CEO of Magic Eden, said the partnership 'represents our commitment to onboarding mainstream audience deeper into crypto.' Using the wallet, users will be able to trade the $TRUMP token, along with major assets like Bitcoin, Solana and Ethereum. Trump's sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., who lead efforts at the family's cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial, said they had no knowledge of the product. 'The Trump Organization has zero involvement with this wallet product. @EricTrump and I know nothing about it. Stay tuned—World Liberty Financial @worldlibertyfi, which we have been working tirelessly on, will be launching our official wallet soon,' Trump Jr. wrote on X. 'I run @Trump and I know nothing about this project! @worldlibertyfi $Trump @AmericanBTC,' Eric Trump added. Trump has come under scrutiny for his crypto ventures, especially his meme coin. Last month, he hosted a private dinner with the top investors in his meme coin, which Democrats dubbed as a 'pay-to-play scheme.' In Other News Branch out with other reads on The Hill: Trump administration extends tariff pause on Chinese-made chips for 90 days The Trump administration has extended a long-running exemption for Chinese-made chips from a 25 percent tariff imposed during President Trump's first administration. The office of U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a notice posted Saturday it was extending the exemption, set to expire that day, to Aug. 31. The 25 percent tariff, which initially went into effect in 2019, would have applied to a variety … What Others are Reading Two key stories on The Hill right now: Hegseth orders Navy strip oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk of name Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename an oil ship named after gay rights activist Harvey Milk, a move that pointedly comes … Read more White House sends Congress request for $9.4B in DOGE cuts The White House on Tuesday sent Congress a request to claw back $9.4 billion in funding for foreign aid and to public broadcasting — the first package … Read more What Others are Reading Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Time Business News
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
How to Build a Privacy-Focused Social Media App Like MeWe
In a world where user data privacy is often compromised, platforms like MeWe have risen in popularity by offering an ad-free, surveillance-free alternative to mainstream social media. If you're looking to develop a privacy-centric social app inspired by MeWe, understanding its core features, required technology, and potential development cost is essential. Let's explore how you can bring such an app to life—from functionality to funding. With growing awareness around data misuse and algorithm manipulation, there's a surge in demand for platforms that prioritize user control and privacy. MeWe successfully capitalizes on this by offering: No ads or sponsored content No newsfeed manipulation Full user control over content Encrypted messaging By building an app with similar principles, you're tapping into a market that craves transparency and user empowerment—especially among niche communities, professionals, and privacy advocates. To replicate the success of a platform like MeWe, you'll need to integrate the following essential features: Allow users to set up detailed profiles, customize their display pictures, bios, and privacy settings to enhance personalization. Create a clean, chronological timeline where users can post updates, share content, and view others' posts without algorithmic filtering. Implement secure one-on-one chats and group messaging with end-to-end encryption for ultimate privacy. Enable users to create public or private groups to foster communities around shared interests, hobbies, or causes. Support audio and video calling features within the app to enhance communication, especially within close networks or professional groups. Offer limited cloud space to share photos, videos, and documents within the app, with options for subscription-based storage upgrades. Ensure your platform does not incorporate ad-based revenue or data tracking, a core appeal of MeWe. Equip users and admins with tools to moderate content and manage member behavior within communities. Choosing the right tech stack ensures that your app is scalable, secure, and responsive. React Native (for cross-platform compatibility on iOS and Android) (for cross-platform compatibility on iOS and Android) Flutter (another alternative for fast development and UI consistency) or Django (for scalable APIs and server-side logic) or (for scalable APIs and server-side logic) Firebase (for authentication, messaging, and real-time data sync) (for authentication, messaging, and real-time data sync) MongoDB or PostgreSQL (for flexible and scalable database solutions) AWS or Google Cloud Platform (for cloud storage, compute, and database hosting) or (for cloud storage, compute, and database hosting) Cloudflare (for enhanced security and DDoS protection) End-to-end encryption via Signal Protocol or Libsodium or GDPR and CCPA-compliance toolkits OAuth 2.0 for secure user authentication The cost depends on complexity, team size, and location. Here's a rough estimate: Feature Set Estimated Cost (USD) Basic MVP (User profiles, feed, chat) $25,000 – $40,000 Mid-Level App (Groups, voice/video, moderation) $40,000 – $70,000 Full-Scale App with Cloud & Privacy Tools $70,000 – $120,000+ Hiring an offshore development team from India, like Infowind Technologies, can significantly reduce costs without compromising quality. Building a privacy-first social media app like MeWe isn't just a technical project—it's a commitment to ethical digital interaction. If you focus on user autonomy, data protection, and a clean UI/UX, you're well-positioned to offer a compelling alternative in today's social media landscape. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a company looking to invest in privacy-first platforms, now is a great time to start. Partner with experienced app developers who understand both the technical and ethical nuances of social media development. Want to build your MeWe-inspired app with expert guidance? Reach out to Infowind Technologies today for a free consultation. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta asks judge to toss FTC case
Meta asked a federal judge Thursday to toss the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) case against the social media giant, arguing the agency failed to prove at trial that the company violated antitrust laws. The Facebook parent contends the agency failed to show that it has a monopoly over personal social networking and that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were anticompetitive. 'With the close of the FTC's case, the trial record establishes that Meta Platforms, Inc. ('Meta') acquired Instagram and WhatsApp in order to improve them and expand its own portfolio of services – to better compete against many dynamic, innovative, and fierce rivals,' the company wrote in a court filing. 'And Meta did just that.' 'Meta has made two promising mobile apps with uncertain prospects into two of the most successful apps in the world, enjoyed by approximately half of the planet's population (including hundreds of millions of U.S. consumers) on demand, in unlimited quantities, all for free,' it added. The FTC sued Meta in 2020, accusing the firm of attempting to entrench its alleged monopoly over personal social networking through key acquisitions, namely Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly lobbied the Trump administration for a settlement in the weeks leading up to the trial last month to no avail. He was the first witness called by the FTC, spending three days on the stand. However, after five weeks at trial, Meta argues the government has failed to show the company has a monopoly over personal social networking, emphasizing that its apps remain free and claiming there has been no decline in quality for users. It also contends that the FTC's proposed personal social networking market — which includes Meta's apps, Snapchat and MeWe — is too narrow, arguing it faces competition from the likes of TikTok, YouTube and iMessage. Meta slammed the proposed market, which centers on sharing between friends and family, as 'fiction.' '[Recent] data decisively refutes the claim that 'friends-and-family sharing' insulates Meta's apps from competition from (among many others) YouTube, iMessage, and, most dramatically, TikTok – a disruptive entrant that forced Meta to transform Facebook and Instagram or risk precipitous decline,' the company wrote. It also pushes back on the claim that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were anticompetitive, arguing that it has substantially invested in both apps and that there was no guarantee either would turn out to be major rivals. With the FTC wrapping up its case Thursday, it's now Meta's turn to make its argument. The social media giant faces high stakes, as a loss would likely open it up to a potential breakup. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
