Co-founder of Instagram testifies against Meta in antitrust case
Kevin Systrom, co-founder of Instagram, provided impressive testimony in the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) antitrust case against Meta, alleging that CEO Mark Zuckerberg intentionally stunted Instagram’s growth to protect Facebook’s dominance. The case could lead to Meta having to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp owing to its current dominance of social media.
Systrom argued that Instagram achieved its immense success despite, not because of, Facebook’s ownership. He described in detail how Zuckerberg repeatedly withheld resources such as technical talent and integration tools from Instagram, with the strategic goal of preventing it from cannibalising Facebook users’ engagement.
Systrom highlighted a specific instance in which Zuckerberg withdrew his support for features promoting Instagram within Facebook, shortly before Systrom and his co-founder resigned in 2018.
Systrom suggested that Zuckerberg’s actions stemmed from a complex mix of corporate strategy and personal emotions. Although he acknowledged Zuckerberg’s initial enthusiasm for having Instagram “in the family,” Systrom emphasised the underlying tension between the two platforms. He pointed to Facebook’s massive turnaround to video, with 300 employees assigned to Facebook but none to Instagram.
Even after the Cambridge Analytica scandal prompted Meta to pledge billions for user safety, Systrom claimed that Instagram received no direct allocation of these funds.
During cross-examination, Meta’s lawyer disputed Systrom’s claims by presenting an old e-mail in which he included Facebook integrations for Instagram’s growth. Systrom responded gruffly when asked if he had lied to Zuckerberg in that e-mail.
This contradictory testimony follows Zuckerberg’s own claim that Instagram’s success was entirely dependent on Meta’s infrastructure. The FTC is now relying on this conflicting testimony to prove its case that Meta maintained its market dominance through anticompetitive practices, rather than merit. This courtroom drama offers a rare glimpse into the tensions between two of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley, with the future of Meta’s empire potentially at stake.
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