Zuckerberg doesn’t recall 'threatening' Instagram conversations
Prior to acquiring the company, Zuckerberg said it was clear Facebook would be competing in the same space
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he did not “recall” having conversations with Instagram that lawmakers characterized as threatening prior to Facebook’s acquisition of the photo-sharing app.
Zuckerberg said he was not sure what was meant by the word threatening, but he said it was “clear” at the time that Facebook was going to be building a product in mobile cameras and mobile photo sharing.
“I think it was clear this was a space that we were going to compete in one way or another,” Zuckerberg said. “I don’t view those discussions as a threat.”
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The Facebook CEO said he did not remember the specific conversations, which Instagram executives allegedly took in a threatening manner, according to documents referred to by Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
Jayapal expressed concern that Facebook’s position as a dominant platform threatens rivals and prevents them from competing, calling the company a case study in monopoly power.
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Zuckerberg admitted that the social media company emulates some of the features of its competitors as it seeks to build the best services possible to connect users across its platform.
“We’ve adapted features that others have led in,” Zuckerberg said, while adding that other companies have adapted features from Facebook, as well.
Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012. Zuckerberg characterized the deal as “wildly successful.”
