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Meta antitrust trial kicks off in federal court

(www.axios.com)
431 points c420 | 1 comments | 14 Apr 25 13:18 UTC | HN request time: 0.21s | source
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iambateman ◴[14 Apr 25 19:45 UTC] No.43685448[source]▶
> Meta could have chosen to compete with then-upstart photo sharing app Instagram in 2012, a senior FTC official said on a call with reporters ahead of the trial, but instead it bought it, and did the same with WhatsApp.

This has a potentially very-chilling effect on acquisitions, which are a major source of liquidity for lots of secondary companies.

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1. JumpCrisscross ◴[14 Apr 25 20:47 UTC] No.43686148[source]▶
> has a potentially very-chilling effect on acquisitions

I don’t buy it. An independent Instagram would have both been another potential acquirer and a pocketful of cash for investors who might fund another round.