US media: Meta antitrust case 'bargaining' negotiations fail

According to the Wall Street Journal, Meta Platforms (META. O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg called the head of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at the end of March and proposed a condition: Meta would pay $450 million to settle a lengthy and upcoming antitrust case. This offer is far below the $30 billion required by the Federal Trade Commission. According to insiders, Zuckerberg sounded very confident during the conference call, believing that President Trump would support him at the Federal Trade Commission. However, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson believes that the proposal is not credible and he is not prepared to accept any settlement plan below $18 billion and a consent decree. Insiders say that as the trial approaches, Meta once raised its offer to nearly $1 billion. The former chairman of the Federal Trade Commission stated that the company's $450 million settlement proposal is a "delusion".