Platformer

2 days ago | platformer.news | Casey Newton

It took a couple of decades for antitrust law to catch up with the world’s biggest companies. But over the past year, lawyers for the US government have successfully made their case that the biggest platforms have created illegal monopolies — and the solutions they are now proposing could begin to reshape the web. Last week, we discussed the government’s effort to break up Meta, which is now in its second week at trial. Today, let’s talk about a similar effort to break up Google.

1 week ago | platformer.news | Casey Newton

Meta — 10 min read This post is for paying subscribers only

1 week ago | platformer.news | Casey Newton

I. Today, more than four years after the Federal Trade Commission first filed its lawsuit, Meta’s high-stakes antitrust trial began. Today, let’s talk about the case that prosecutors plan to make — and the ongoing difficulty of predicting an outcome in a country where the Trump administration is ignoring Supreme Court orders, illegally firing FTC commissioners, and seemingly making up the law as it goes along.

1 week ago | platformer.news | Casey Newton

I. On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission’s landmark antitrust lawsuit against Meta is scheduled to go to trial in Washington, DC. The lawsuit, which was filed during the first Trump Administration, alleges that Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were illegal and should be undone. While a breakup is seen as unlikely, it remains a significant threat to Meta’s business. Under normal circumstances, we would expect this trial to be determined by what happens in the courtroom.

2 weeks ago | platformer.news | Casey Newton

Meta — 13 min read This post is for paying subscribers only