Consumer Watchdog Remains Optimistic that Courts Will Rein in Executive Overreach in FTC-Meta Case

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kara Zupkus (224) 456-0257

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg denied Meta’s move for summary judgment in the ongoing litigation between the company and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Despite this setback, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) remains optimistic that the judicial system will rein in the FTC’s overreach and protect the American economy from unprecedented legal uncertainty and regulatory risk.  

In response, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA)’s Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs Dan Savickas offered the following statement:

“The denial of summary judgment in the FTC–Meta case is an unfortunate, if not unexpected, decision. TPA remains confident that the courts will ultimately reject the agency’s attempt to rewrite history.

“The ramifications of this case could be disastrous for the American economy if the FTC gets its way. Allowing the agency to unwind an acquisition a decade after the fact would essentially grant the agency vast power to unwind any acquisition, at almost any time, even when approval is granted. Granting the FTC such capacity would introduce tremendous legal uncertainty, potentially halting many nascent mergers and acquisitions.

“The message the FTC sent with this lawsuit is clear — the agency is punishing Meta for its success. The reason why the agency initially approved these acquisitions is that the deal was not inherently anticompetitive — in fact, it was quite the opposite. Meta acquired two products that had potential, but were struggling to consolidate their business models, and successfully delivered on that potential. This created tremendous value for consumers, which would never have existed without the merger. It was only after Meta’s success that the FTC attempted walk back its approval.

“The FTC seeks to send a chilling message to the American economy at large: that any business that proves to be too successful after any merger or acquisition might find itself subjected to regulatory scrutiny. That is an unsustainable environment in which to conduct business.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a rapid response non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis, and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.