Judge rejects Facebook bid to derail US antitrust suit

Facebook's push to block a US anti-trust suit was denied by a judge

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that US regulators' re-worked anti-trust case against Facebook can go ahead, saying the complaint was more robust and detailed than the version denied last year.

The US Federal Trade Commission has alleged the social media giant, which has renamed itself Meta, holds an illegal monopoly by acquiring potential competitors that it now owns like Instagram and WhatsApp.

The FTC "may well face a tall task down the road in proving its allegations," but the case will not be dismissed, ruled Boasberg, who last year tossed out the original suit.

"The Commission continues to allege that Facebook has long had a monopoly in the market... and that it has unlawfully maintained that monopoly," Boasberg wrote.

The judge also rejected Facebook's argument that the case should be dismissed because the commission's decision to amend and refile was fueled by a bias against the company by FTC chairwoman Lina Khan.

"Ultimately, whether the FTC will be able to prove its case and prevail at summary judgment and trial is anyone's guess," the judge said in the ruling.

The lawsuit, which could take years to go through the courts without a settlement, calls for the court to order "divestiture of assets," including WhatsApp and Instagram, to restore competition.

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Originally published as Judge rejects Facebook bid to derail US antitrust suit