英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Judge sides with Meta in antitrust trial, will not spin off WhatsApp and Instagram（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

A recent decision by a federal judge has been a major victory for Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook. The judge ruled against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in an antitrust lawsuit. The FTC had accused Meta of reducing competition by acquiring its rivals, notably WhatsApp and Instagram. The lawsuit aimed to force Meta to sell these popular platforms to create a more competitive environment in the social media industry.

The FTC’s lawsuit argued that Meta’s purchase of WhatsApp and Instagram was part of a strategy to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly in the social media sector. According to the FTC, this made it difficult for new companies to enter the market and limited choices for consumers. However, the judge disagreed with the FTC’s claims, stating that the agency did not provide enough evidence to prove that Meta’s actions harmed the marketplace or consumers.

Meta welcomed the decision, saying it allows them to focus on innovation and improving services for users. Critics of the ruling argue that it sets a concerning precedent for future antitrust cases, potentially allowing large tech companies to continue buying smaller competitors without facing significant regulatory challenges. They worry this could lead to less competition and innovation in the tech industry.

The ruling is significant not only for Meta but also for the broader tech industry. It highlights the ongoing debate about the role of large tech firms in the economy and the balance between encouraging innovation and preventing monopolistic practices. The FTC may choose to appeal the decision, but for now, Meta can continue to operate WhatsApp and Instagram under its corporate umbrella.

📝 Vocabulary

  • antitrust: related to laws preventing unfair competition in business（反トラスト法に関する）
    例文: “The antitrust laws are designed to prevent monopolies.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • antitrust lawsuit
    • antitrust regulation
    • antitrust policy
  • acquire: to buy or obtain something（買収する）
    例文: “The company plans to acquire new technology to improve its services.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • acquire a company
    • acquire assets
    • acquire knowledge
  • rival: a competitor in business（競争相手）
    例文: “The company is trying to stay ahead of its rivals.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • fierce rival
    • business rival
    • rival company
  • monopoly: exclusive control over a market（独占）
    例文: “Having a monopoly can lead to higher prices for consumers.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • create a monopoly
    • monopoly power
    • monopoly control
  • precedent: an earlier event or action regarded as an example（前例）
    例文: “The court’s decision set a new legal precedent.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • legal precedent
    • important precedent
    • precedent case

✏️ Grammar Point

Past Simple Tense – “The judge ruled against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in an antitrust lawsuit.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
過去の出来事や行動を表す際に使われる

💡 使用場面

過去の出来事を述べる際に使われます。例えば、会議で過去のプロジェクトを報告する際に使用します。

📝 使用例文

“例: In a business meeting, you might say: ‘If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.’”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: The judge ruled in favor of the FTC in the antitrust case against Meta.
  2. MCQ: What was the FTC’s main argument against Meta?
    a) Meta was not popular among users.
    b) Meta’s rivals were not profitable.
    c) Meta’s acquisitions reduced competition.
    d) Meta’s technology was outdated.
  3. MCQ: What might critics of the ruling be concerned about?
    a) Increased competition in the tech industry.
    b) More innovation from smaller companies.
    c) Larger companies buying smaller rivals without challenges.
    d) Decreased user satisfaction with services.
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. False
  2. c) Meta’s acquisitions reduced competition.
  3. c) Larger companies buying smaller rivals without challenges.

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What was the outcome of the judge’s ruling in the Meta antitrust case?
  2. Why might critics be worried about the judge’s decision?
  3. What does the word “rival” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. The judge ruled against the FTC, allowing Meta to keep WhatsApp and Instagram.
  2. They worry the decision could lead to less competition and innovation.
  3. A competitor in business.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

最近の連邦裁判所の判決は、Meta Platforms社にとって大きな勝利となりました。FTC（連邦取引委員会）は、MetaがWhatsAppやInstagramなどの競争相手を買収することで競争を抑制していると訴えていました。しかし、裁判所はFTCの主張を退け、Metaがこれらのプラットフォームを維持することを許可しました。この判決は、巨大企業が市場を支配することの是非や、イノベーションを促進するための規制の在り方についての議論を呼んでいます。今後の展開次第では、日本の企業にも影響を及ぼす可能性があります。

Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/18/nx-s1-5495626/meta-ftc-instagram-whatsapp-antitrust-ruling

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