US judge rejects Facebook request to dismiss FTC antitrust lawsuit

The US judge hearing the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust case against Facebook said on Tuesday that he would not dismiss a lawsuit in which the government asked the court to demand that Facebook sell two big subsidiaries.

Facebook, which is now owned by Meta Platforms, had asked Judge James Boasberg in Washington, DC federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the FTC failed to establish that it had a case.

The FTC's high-profile legal fight with Facebook represents one of the biggest challenges the government has brought against a tech company in decades, and is being closely watched as Washington aims to tackle Big Tech's extensive market power.

"Ultimately, whether the FTC will be able to prove its case and prevail at summary judgment and trial is anyone’s guess. The Court declines to engage in such speculation and simply concludes that at this motion-to-dismiss stage, where the FTC’s allegations are treated as true, the agency has stated a plausible claim for relief," wrote Boasberg.