What if Mark Zuckerberg had not bought Instagram and WhatsApp? In a fascinating deep dive by The New York Times, the author explores the unforeseen consequences of these acquisitions. When Zuckerberg paid $1 billion for Instagram in 2012, many ridiculed him, including Jon Stewart, who joked, “A billion dollars for a thing that kind of ruins your pictures?” Fast forward a couple of years, and WhatsApp was bought for a staggering $19 billion, still unfamiliar to many Americans.

Today, these acquisitions are seen as monumental successes, integral to Meta’s empire. But in a landmark antitrust trial, the government argues these moves stifle competition, suggesting Zuckerberg is a monopolist protecting his interests. As tech historian Margaret O’Mara points out, “It was a very, very different time in Silicon Valley.”

What if Instagram had been acquired by Twitter’s Jack Dorsey instead? Or if WhatsApp had ended up with Google? The hypotheticals swirl around the case, laden with possibilities that are impossible to answer. As we reflect on the impact of these deals, we see how quickly fortunes can change in the tech world and how critical pivotal decisions become. What do you think would have happened if things had gone differently?
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