Key Insights from Mark Zuckerberg’s Three-Day Testimony in Meta’s Antitrust Trial

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spent over 10 hours on the witness stand during the high-stakes antitrust trial against the company, providing valuable insight into the tech mogul’s thoughts and strategic decisions.

The trial, taking place in a Washington, DC federal courtroom, was called by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which argues that Meta violated antitrust laws through its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp.

Throughout three days of testimony, Zuckerberg faced intense questioning, offering candid revelations about Meta’s internal strategies, competition in the social media market, and his personal views on acquisitions. Here are eight key takeaways from his testimony:

1. Antitrust Concerns and Instagram’s Potential Spin-off

Zuckerberg revealed that in 2018, amid growing concerns over antitrust scrutiny, he considered spinning off Instagram. In an internal email, he suggested that Meta might be forced to separate Instagram and WhatsApp in the next five to ten years due to increasing pressure to break up large tech companies. However, when asked about it during his testimony, Zuckerberg seemed uncertain about the idea, admitting he wasn’t entirely clear on his reasoning at the time.

2. Bold Ideas to Revitalize Facebook

In an email from 2022, Zuckerberg proposed a drastic measure to rejuvenate Facebook’s relevance: wiping out users’ friend lists and starting anew. The idea, which Zuckerberg called “crazy,” was discussed internally as a way to refocus the social network, but faced resistance from Meta executives. Despite this, Zuckerberg emphasized his commitment to improving Facebook’s cultural standing.

3. A Light Moment with Sheryl Sandberg

Testimony also shed light on some lighter moments at Meta. In a 2012 exchange, Zuckerberg offered to teach then-COO Sheryl Sandberg how to play the board game Settlers of Catan. The conversation came up while discussing Meta’s $1 billion acquisition of Instagram. Zuckerberg reflected on Instagram’s fast growth, acknowledging that it had surpassed Facebook in certain areas.

4. Fierce Competition from TikTok

Zuckerberg repeatedly mentioned TikTok as one of Meta’s main competitors, acknowledging that the app has surpassed both Facebook and Instagram in terms of user engagement.

“TikTok is still bigger than either Facebook or Instagram,” he said.

5. Challenges with Facebook’s Photo App

In 2011, Zuckerberg expressed frustration over Facebook’s failed attempts to compete with Instagram through the Facebook Camera app. Internal messages presented during the trial revealed his dissatisfaction with the app’s lackluster performance and his team’s struggles to match Instagram’s appeal. This led Zuckerberg to refocus efforts on Instagram after its acquisition in 2012.

6. The $6 Billion Snapchat Offer

Zuckerberg also addressed a failed acquisition attempt to buy Snapchat for $6 billion in 2013. Internal emails revealed that he believed Snapchat’s growth potential was underwhelming and felt confident he could improve the app. This revelation was part of the FTC’s argument that Meta has used acquisitions, rather than competition, to maintain its dominance in the market.

7. Facebook’s Evolution Beyond Friendship

Zuckerberg also noted that Facebook’s original purpose of connecting friends had evolved over time. He explained that the platform had shifted from a social network to a broader “discovery and entertainment space,” a point the FTC has used to argue that Meta dominates the personal social networking market.

8. Controversial Views on WhatsApp’s Founders

Zuckerberg’s emails about WhatsApp’s co-founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, were also brought into the spotlight. He described Koum as “unambitious” following a meeting in 2012, which raised eyebrows during the trial. Zuckerberg later clarified that while Koum was intelligent, he was not eager to expand WhatsApp into a serious competitor to Facebook. Despite initial concerns, Zuckerberg followed through with purchasing WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014.

With input from Business Insider, the Washington Post, and the Verge.