Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has been testifying in a federal courthouse in Washington, DC, as part of an antitrust case against the company. Over the past two days, he has revealed some of the wildest ideas he considered while building his social media empire, including making Instagram a separate company, buying Snapchat, and wiping everyone's Facebook friends lists.

Zuckerberg's testimony is part of a larger antitrust case brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which alleges that Meta has monopoly power in the personal social networking services market. The FTC is seeking to require Meta to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp, which it acquired in the early 2010s. During his testimony, Zuckerberg pushed back against the FTC's theory of the market, arguing that it is "fluid" and that TikTok, YouTube, and iMessage are his top competitors.

One of the most surprising revelations from Zuckerberg's testimony was his consideration of making Instagram a separate company. He also revealed that he had made a $6 billion bid to acquire Snapchat in 2013, which was rejected by CEO Evan Spiegel. Zuckerberg suggested that if Spiegel had accepted the bid, Meta would have grown Snapchat much faster.

Zuckerberg also shared some of his more unconventional ideas, including wiping users' friends lists to experience the joy of starting from scratch. He also considered creating a feed of only ads, which he believed users would find just as engaging as regular content.

The FTC presented internal documents that showed Zuckerberg's concerns about Instagram's rapid growth and the potential threat posed by messaging apps like WhatsApp. In court, he argued that his acquisitions of these apps made them into what they are today.

Zuckerberg's testimony is expected to continue on Wednesday, followed by Sheryl Sandberg's testimony. The outcome of the antitrust case could have significant implications for Meta and the tech industry as a whole.

The case has also shed light on the behind-the-scenes decision-making process at Meta, including the company's acquisition strategies and its approach to competition. The revelations have sparked debate about the role of antitrust regulation in the tech industry and the need for greater oversight of large tech companies.

As the trial continues, it remains to be seen how the court will rule on the FTC's allegations. However, one thing is clear: the antitrust case against Meta has already provided a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world's most powerful tech companies.