Social media company Meta Platforms Inc. will face an antitrust lawsuit over its purchase of WhatsApp and Instagram, according to documents published on Wednesday by District of Colombia Chief Judge James E. Boasberg.

The case started by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2020, during the first Trump administration. The FTC alleged that Meta overpaid for Instagram and WhatsApp in an effort to neutralize threats to its social media dominance. Meta giant stated that the FTC's charge hinges on an overly narrow view of the social media market, citing other rivals such as TikTok, YouTube, and X.

Meta is one of several Big Tech companies facing charges over alleged unlawful business practices including Amazon.com, Apple as well as Google.