Breaking Up Facebook Would Be More Complicated Than It Sounds

WhatsApp and Instagram feel distinct to users, but share back-end architecture.

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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Facebook executives’ worst nightmare is upon them. The Federal Trade Commission has declared the social network an illegal monopoly, and said it should be broken up. On Wednesday, the FTC and more than 40 states called for the unwinding of the company's Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions, which have allowed it to achieve unprecedented power over global communication and culture.