Zuckerberg's 20-year-old statement has become a serious problem for Meta

Mark Zuckerberg's old statement could have serious consequences for Meta

As reported by The New York Times, a statement made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg almost two decades ago has caused new problems for the company. In 2006, when Facebook was just gaining popularity, Zuckerberg stated: "Facebook is real connections with real friends." Today, this phrase is being considered as possible evidence of the company's anti-competitive policy in an antitrust case.

The court may interpret this statement as a hint at Meta's market dominance and limited competition. In particular, attention was drawn to the claim that Facebook had only two competitors, significantly inferior in terms of user numbers.

Meta, in turn, intends to prove that the situation has changed since then: Facebook's user count has decreased, and the main competitors now are TikTok and YouTube. The legal proceedings could have a serious impact on the entire technology market.

Earlier, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Meta of monopolizing the market. In particular, it is alleged that the company bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 to eliminate potential rivals. As evidence, internal letters are cited where Zuckerberg allegedly discussed the acquisition of Instagram as a way to neutralize competition.

Now Mark Zuckerberg has to personally defend the company in court. If Meta loses, it could face restructuring demands.