AOC Calls Facebook 'Out-of-Control' as Social Media Giant Faces Bipartisan Backlash

By Neil P. First Posted: Dec 09, 2020 11:09 PM EST

The Federal Trade Commission along with 48 states in the U.S. filed a lawsuit against social media giant Facebook for acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp, making it a social media monopoly.

(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Facebook Acquires WhatsApp For $16 Billion

The Department of Justice recently sued Facebook alleging the social media giant as anti-American by employing foreign workers rather than the residents in the country.

This time the Federal Trade Commission and 48 States filed a lawsuit against Facebook and making the acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp as the core of complaints.

Facebook faces lawsuit

Facebook is the biggest social media platform with millions of users across the world. Despite the popularity of social media, the company is now facing a lawsuit. The Federal Trade Commission and 48 states in the U.S. filed the suits against the social media giant.

As Fox News reported, Facebook's acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp is the core of their complaints. The social media giant is alleged of monopoly that makes it difficult for smaller rivals to excel in the industry.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is a well-known critic of Facebook and other tech giants, reacted and said on Twitter:

"Facebook is absolutely an out-of-control monopoly - one that has abused its market power to squash competition, manipulate democracies, and crush journalism."

Moreover, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, said that she would coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission. During a press conference, she alleged Facebook of abusing its power.

Meanwhile, the Empire State's chief prosecutor said, "For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users."

This has been the issue of Facebook since they acquired Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facebook claims complaints were 'revisionist history'

On the other hand, Facebook Vice President and General Counsel Jennifer Newstead blasted the complaints as "revisionist history,"

"Antitrust laws exist to protect consumers and promote innovation, not to punish successful businesses," Newstead added.

Newstead explained that Facebook invested billions of dollars to Instagram and WhatsApp. The years of investment and innovation have helped to develop new features and better experiences for the millions of Instagram and WhatsApp users that made these platforms incredible today.

Additionally, the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute also defended Facebook and called the lawsuit filed against the social media giant as "political theater dressed up as anti-trust law."

Associate Director of CEI's Center for Technology and Innovation Jessica Melugin, said that the Federal Trade Commission asserts that Facebook acquired Instagram and What's App to suppress competition.

"But when viewed through the lens of the U.S. antitrust law standard of consumer harm, the question becomes, so what? Facebook's superior resources and expertise took Instagram from a modest and glitchy app to one with a billion users as of 2018."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg did not yet release any official statement at this time. But it can be recalled that he appeared in a panel of lawmakers a couple of times.