Streets Ahead: Meta Heading to Court and Instagram Reposts
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discuss Meta Heading to Court and Instagram Reposts.
Meta Heads to Court as FTC Pushes Breakup of Instagram and WhatsApp
The News Meta is back in court this week as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advances its long-running case to force the company to divest Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC argues that Meta’s acquisitions were part of a deliberate strategy to neutralize competition and cement its dominance in the social media market.
The case stems from a 2020 lawsuit accusing Meta of anticompetitive behavior. Although the initial complaint was dismissed due to insufficient evidence of monopoly power, a revised version was later accepted and allowed to proceed to trial.
Meta continues to push back, asserting that it operates in a highly competitive landscape alongside platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. The company also defends its investments in Instagram and WhatsApp, claiming they enhanced the products and benefited users. It further criticizes the FTC’s market definitions as overly narrow and unrealistic.
Adding a political dimension, Social Media Today reports that Meta may have counted on its alignment with the Trump administration to temper regulatory scrutiny. But with the trial moving forward and no apparent intervention, that expectation appears to have fallen flat.
Why This Matters The stakes of this trial extend far beyond Meta. A ruling in favor of the FTC could upend the company’s business model and reshape how social platforms expand through acquisitions. If the court sides with regulators, Meta could be forced to divest Instagram and WhatsApp—two of the most influential platforms on the planet. More broadly, it would set a landmark precedent, signaling that regulators not only can block future deals but also unwind past ones when they’re seen as anticompetitive.
Instagram Introduces Feed Reposts for Posts and Reels
The News Instagram is expanding resharing beyond Stories. Users can now repost posts and Reels directly to their followers’ main feeds—bringing it in line with features already common on platforms like TikTok and X. Unlike Stories, these reposts will show up like native content in the feed.
The update signals Instagram’s continued pivot toward algorithmic content discovery. While it’s still unclear how prominently reshared content will surface, the move gives users and creators another tool to boost visibility and engagement. Instagram hasn’t yet announced a full rollout timeline.
Why This Matters Instagram’s new repost feature gives brands a valuable organic boost. Now, employees, partners, and fans can share your content directly to their followers’ feeds—going beyond Stories for broader reach and deeper engagement, all without paid promotion.
