Recent revelations in the antitrust case against Meta involve internal emails from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, highlighting his fears regarding Instagram’s impact on Facebook’s growth.
In a major twist in the ongoing antitrust case against Meta, internal emails from CEO Mark Zuckerberg have come to light, revealing his concerns that Instagram’s rise could seriously damage Facebook’s growth. The messages, sent in 2018, are now being used by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to support its claim that Meta bought Instagram and WhatsApp to crush competition and maintain a social media monopoly.
Fear of Facebook “Collapse”
According to court documents, Zuckerberg warned that Instagram’s success might lead to what he called the “network collapse” of Facebook – the company’s most profitable product. The emails show that he noticed a worrying trend: as more users became active on Instagram, their time and engagement on Facebook dropped significantly. He described this as a “hollowing out” of Facebook’s core user activity.
Zuckerberg wrote that while both platforms could grow, Instagram’s expansion might have “significant negative effects” on Facebook that hadn’t been properly considered. This was especially alarming because Facebook was the more profitable platform at the time.
Zuckerberg wrote that while both platforms could grow, Instagram’s expansion might have “significant negative effects” on Facebook that hadn’t been properly considered. This was especially alarming because Facebook was the more profitable platform at the time.
Cross-Platform Strategy
To address the issue, Zuckerberg proposed creating stronger links between Meta’s apps – Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. His ideas included cross-app video tools and a shared voice and video calling system. These integrations were eventually introduced in 2020 but were rolled back later.
He also questioned whether Instagram’s growth, driven by Facebook’s friend network and user base, was hurting Facebook itself. To balance the growth, Meta reduced promotion for Instagram and pushed features to keep users on Facebook longer.
Branding and Spin-Off Ideas
The emails also show Zuckerberg suggesting a clearer branding strategy, adding “by Facebook” to apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, to remind users that all these platforms were part of one company. He even floated the idea of spinning off Instagram as a separate business to protect Facebook and give Instagram’s team more independence. However, he noted this could demoralise Instagram’s leadership.
FTC’s Arguement
The FTC is using these emails to argue that Meta’s purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp wasn’t just a business move – it was a way to eliminate potential threats. Zuckerberg even mentioned a “non-trivial chance” that regulators could force Meta to separate its businesses within a decade. If the FTC wins, that separation might soon become a reality.
