Facebook 'abuse of power' lawsuits call for it to sell off WhatsApp and Instagram

Facebook is facing two separate lawsuits in the US which accuse it of abusing its power and demand that it sells off WhatsApp and Instagram.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a coalition of US states are suing the social network firm on the grounds it has employed a "systematic strategy" to eliminate its competition.

Facebook is accused of breaking competition law by suppressing innovation, cutting privacy protections for users of its platforms and monetising data.

New York's attorney general, Letitia James, said its "predatory acquisition" of companies had sapped confidence in the market.

The federal case is seeking an injunction that "could, among other things: require divestitures of assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp".

Mark Zuckerberg's company bought Instagram in 2012 for $1bn and WhatsApp two years' later for $19bn.