Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seems to be seriously worried about Facebook’s position in today’s digital world. Some internal emails between him and Facebook’s head, Tom Alison, from April 2022, were recently shown in court as part of the ongoing antitrust case filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These emails reveal what Zuckerberg really feels about Facebook’s future and how its presence is no longer what it used to be.

In one of the emails, Zuckerberg clearly said that while people are still using the app regularly in many areas, the platform’s “cultural relevance is decreasing quickly” and that’s not a good sign. He warned that this drop in relevance might be an early sign of deeper issues later on.

Even though Instagram and WhatsApp are performing well, Zuckerberg made it clear: if Facebook continues to lose its place in culture, the success of other apps won’t be enough to save it.

The ‘Friending’ Model Feels Outdated

Zuckerberg also pointed out how people’s online habits are changing. Facebook’s original model of connecting through “friends” just doesn’t work like before. According to him,

“a lot of people’s friend-graphs are stale”

meaning users aren’t seeing content from the people they care about anymore.

He even said he personally prefers to follow influencers on Instagram or Twitter, which suggests that platforms focusing on a “follow” model might be more appealing now than the old-school “friending” style of Facebook.

Zuckerberg’s Bold Ideas to Bring Facebook Back

To make Facebook feel fresh again, Zuckerberg suggested some big changes including what he called a “crazy idea”: resetting everyone’s friend lists and letting them build connections from scratch. That’s a huge shift from how the platform has always worked.

He also talked about Facebook’s efforts in building communities through groups, but admitted there’s only so far that strategy can go. He wrote,

“I’m optimistic about community messaging… but I’m not sure how much further we’ll be able to push this.”

Defending Instagram and WhatsApp in Court

In the middle of all this, Zuckerberg also appeared in court to defend Meta’s past acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC is claiming that Meta bought these platforms just to kill competition and keep its control over social media.

Zuckerberg, as the first witness in the case, argued that the real goal behind the purchases was to boost innovation and improve user experience. He said Meta is evolving now focusing more on content discovery but its mission still includes helping people stay connected. “Over time, the ‘interest’ part of that has gotten built out more than the friend part,” he explained.

What This Trial Could Mean for Meta’s Future

If the FTC wins this case, Meta might actually be forced to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp something that would change the entire tech world. FTC lawyer Daniel Matheson argued that Meta bought its competition instead of facing it, leaving people with “no reasonable alternatives.”

Meta’s lawyers pushed back, saying they still compete with apps like TikTok, YouTube and iMessage. They also reminded the court that regulators had approved these deals when they happened. The FTC is leaning heavily on Zuckerberg’s own emails as evidence, but he says those quotes were taken out of context.

The case is being heard by Judge James Boasberg and is expected to feature testimony from several big tech leaders. No matter which way the decision goes, this trial has the power to reshape not just Meta, but the future of how tech companies are allowed to grow.