The European Union has warned it may impose interim measures against Meta Platforms due to the company’s new policy restricting access for third-party artificial intelligence services on WhatsApp. Brussels says this conduct may breach EU competition law and disrupt fair competition in digital markets.
The Commission’s move began with a formal charge against Meta. EU regulators contend that a policy change, implemented on January 15, permits only Meta’s own AI assistant, “Meta AI,” to operate on WhatsApp and blocks rival AI developers from accessing the app’s ecosystem. WhatsApp’s vast user base gives Meta a powerful channel to extend its AI service, regulators argue, and excluding competitors could deliver irreversible competitive harm before a full investigation is complete.
The Commission says Meta’s policy effectively barriers third-party AI tools from engaging with users on the platform. In presenting its case, Brussels issued what it calls a statement of objections to Meta, a preliminary legal assessment alleging a breach of competition rules. This statement allows Meta to respond and present its defence before any final determination.
In that document, the Commission said: “The Commission therefore intends to impose interim measures to prevent this policy change from causing serious and irreparable harm on the market, subject to Meta’s reply and rights of defence.” Regulators argue that waiting for the standard timeline of a full antitrust probe could allow Meta to cement an unfair advantage in the still-emerging AI assistant sector.
Meta has rejected the EU’s claims, arguing that WhatsApp is not a critical distribution route for AI and that competition remains robust across other platforms and channels. Meta asserts users and AI developers can reach audiences through app stores, other messaging platforms, websites, and operating systems. In its view, the Commission’s intervention lacks a legal basis.
Regulators, however, maintain that the combination of WhatsApp’s size and Meta’s market power strengthens the case for swift action. The company’s user base in the EU runs into the hundreds of millions, and limiting access to that audience could stifle innovation and reduce choice for consumers and developers alike.
The situation forms part of broader scrutiny of Meta’s operations in Europe. The company has faced regulatory challenges under the EU’s Digital Markets Act and other competition frameworks, including fines and enforcement actions for data and advertising practices. Recent decisions against large tech firms indicate a pattern of stricter enforcement of competition and digital platform laws in the bloc.
If interim measures are formally adopted, Meta could be ordered to restore third-party AI access to WhatsApp while the underlying antitrust case proceeds. A final adverse ruling might result in fines or legally binding behavioural remedies. Market watchers see this case as a potential precedent for how regulators handle platform-level AI integration and digital competition in the future.
The EU’s action reflects a robust stance on enforcing competition norms where dominant platforms could tilt emerging markets in their favour before regulators complete detailed reviews.
