The European Union has warned Meta Platforms that it may impose temporary measures to prevent the US technology giant from blocking rival artificial intelligence services from its WhatsApp messaging platform, as regulators investigate a suspected abuse of market dominance.
The European Commission said on Monday it had sent a statement of objections to Meta, formally outlining concerns that the company’s recent policy change may violate EU competition rules. The move opens the way for possible interim measures aimed at preserving competition while the investigation continues.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, introduced a new policy on January 15 that allows only its own Meta AI assistant to be integrated into WhatsApp. Competing AI chatbot providers have been excluded from access to the messaging service’s business application programming interface (API), a key tool for companies seeking to reach users.
EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said the Commission was acting to prevent potential harm to competition in a rapidly expanding market.
“We must protect effective competition in this vibrant field, which means we cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance to give themselves an unfair advantage,” Ribera said in a statement.
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She added that the Commission was considering swift interim measures to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation is ongoing, warning that Meta’s policy could otherwise cause “serious and irreparable harm” to competition in Europe.
Focus on interim action
Interim measures are a rarely used but powerful tool under EU antitrust law. They allow regulators to act quickly when there is a risk that market conditions could be permanently distorted before a final decision is reached.
The Commission’s approach mirrors action taken by Italy’s competition authority, which in December ordered temporary measures against Meta over the same policy. EU officials said the investigation will assess whether WhatsApp’s position gives Meta a gatekeeper role that rivals cannot realistically bypass.
Meta has rejected the accusations, arguing that WhatsApp is not a critical distribution channel for AI services and that users have many alternative ways to access chatbots.
“There are many AI options and people can use them from app stores, operating systems, devices, websites and industry partnerships,” a Meta spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “The Commission’s logic incorrectly assumes the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for these chatbots.”
The company said there was no justification for regulatory intervention.
Growing scrutiny of Big Tech
The case highlights the EU’s broader push to rein in the power of large technology companies, particularly in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence. Brussels has stepped up enforcement of both its traditional antitrust rules and newer regulations, including the Digital Markets Act, which imposes obligations on major digital “gatekeepers”.
European authorities argue that dominant platforms can use their scale and control over key services to steer users toward their own products, squeezing out rivals before markets fully develop.
The Commission said its decision on whether to impose interim measures will depend on Meta’s response and its rights of defence. The investigation could ultimately lead to fines or orders requiring Meta to change its practices.
The case also underscores ongoing tensions between the EU and the United States over the regulation of US-based technology giants. Washington has repeatedly criticised European enforcement actions, arguing they unfairly target American firms.
Mixed global response
Outside Europe, regulators have taken different approaches. In Brazil, a court last month suspended an interim measure imposed by the country’s antitrust authority against Meta over the same WhatsApp policy, highlighting the legal and regulatory uncertainty surrounding AI competition.
Nevertheless, EU officials say they are determined to act early to prevent market foreclosure in a sector they view as strategically important.
Artificial intelligence has become a central focus for regulators worldwide, as companies race to integrate AI tools into widely used digital platforms. With WhatsApp counting more than two billion users globally, EU authorities fear that limiting access to such a platform could decisively shape the competitive landscape.
As the investigation proceeds, Meta faces the prospect of being ordered to open WhatsApp to rival AI services—at least temporarily—while Brussels weighs whether its conduct breaches EU competition law.
