EU says Meta's WhatsApp policy may seriously harm AI rivals
What's the story
The European Union (EU) has formally charged Meta Platforms with breaching antitrust rules by issuing a statement of objections. The charge comes after the company restricted access to artificial intelligence (AI) services on WhatsApp, a move that officials say could unfairly shut out rival developers. The European Commission, the bloc's competition watchdog, said Meta's decision to allow only its own assistant, Meta AI, on WhatsApp could distort the market for AI-powered services and harm competition.
Formal charges
Statement of objections issued to Meta
The European Commission has issued a statement of objections to Meta, outlining its preliminary findings and how the company may have violated EU competition law. This charge sheet is a key procedural step, giving the company an opportunity to respond before any final decision is made. The Commission argues that limiting third-party AI tools could keep competitors from reaching users on one of the world's most popular messaging platforms, potentially strengthening Meta's dominance in both messaging and AI services.
Possible actions
European Commission may impose interim measures
The European Commission has also warned that it may impose interim measures, emergency steps aimed at preventing immediate and lasting damage to competition while the investigation continues. The regulator said it plans to act swiftly to ensure the policy change doesn't cause "serious and irreparable harm" to the market. Any temporary restrictions would depend on Meta's reply and its rights of defense, officials added.
Company's response
Meta rejects need for regulatory intervention
Responding to the EU's warning, Meta rejected the need for regulatory intervention and defended its approach to the WhatsApp Business API. A company spokesperson said there is no justification for the EU to step in as users already have multiple ways of accessing AI services. The spokesperson also argued that the Commission's position overstates WhatsApp's importance as a gateway for chatbot distribution, claiming it isn't a key channel for reaching users.