Facebook Accused of Abusing Monopoly Power by U.S., States

U.S. antitrust officials and a coalition of a states sued Facebook Inc. for allegedly abusing its dominance to crush competition, the second time in less than two months the government has brought a monopoly case against an American technology giant.

The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general led by New York filed antitrust complaints against Facebook Wednesday, alleging conduct that thwarted competition from rivals in order to protect its monopoly. The FTC lawsuit seeks a court order unwinding Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp.

The case represents the biggest regulatory attack against Facebook in the company’s history. If the ...