Antitrust Judge Upholds Meta's Data Request from TikTok, WeChat, Telegram

A judge has backed Meta Platforms Inc.'s request for information from ByteDance Ltd’s TikTok, Tencent Holdings Ltd’s WeChat and Telegram Group Inc. to strengthen its defence against a US Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit.

US District Judge James Boasberg sent letters to China’s Ministry of Justice asking for help in obtaining documentary evidence from Tencent and ByteDance, and sent a separate letter to officials in the British Virgin Islands about Telegram.

In the letters, Boasberg explained that he wanted user data and messages or presentations to executives and board members looking at the competition between these companies' apps and Meta's Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

Meta told Boasberg that it needed data on each company's user base and market share in order to defend itself against an FTC lawsuit that claims Meta has monopolised the personal social media market and is trying to force it to spin off its Instagram and WhatsApp units.