US judge tells FTC to file new complaint against Facebook

WASHINGTON: A US judge on Monday dismissed an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook that sought to force the social media company to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, saying the Federal Trade Commission action was "legally insufficient".

Facebook shares rose more than 3 per cent after the ruling was published.

The judge also dismissed a lawsuit filed by multiple US states in December, saying that they had waited too long and could not challenge acquisitions from so long ago.

Judge James Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said the FTC had failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social networking market.

The judge said that the FTC could file a new complaint by Jul 29.

Facebook had asked for the lawsuits, which were filed last year, to be dismissed.

Regarding the FTC lawsuit, the judge wrote: "Although the court does not agree with all of Facebook's contentions here, it ultimately concurs that the agency's complaint is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed."

Neither Facebook nor the FTC immediately responded to a request for comment.