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EU launches antitrust investigation into Metas WhatsApp AI access policy

Date:
Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:40:00 +0000

Description:
Europe (and Italy) is worried about WhatsApps AI policy and its effects on
competition.

FULL STORY

The European Commission has launched a formal antitrust investigation into
Meta over whether its WhatsApp AI policy restricts competition by blocking
rival AI chatbot providers. 

Europes case covers most of the bloc, with the exception of Italy - which
launched its own probe separately. 

Per Metas updated WhatsApp Business API terms, third-party AI chatbots are
banned from being distributed via WhatsApp if providing AI is their primary
service.

WhatsApps AI policy has troubled the European Commission 

The EU is worried that Meta might be abusing market dominance to favor its 
own Meta AI over rivals. Some developers have already filed complaints
claiming that the policy harms competition and innovation. 

OpenAI and Microsoft have already had to remove their chatbots from the
platform following the introduction of revised terms, updated in October. 

AI markets are booming in Europe and beyond. We must ensure European citizens
and businesses can benefit fully from this technological revolution and act 
to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out
innovative competitors, EC EVP for Clean, Just and Competition Transition,
Teresa Ribera, wrote. 

The investigation could lead to interim measures, suspending Metas policy
before the final ruling is given. If Meta is found guilty, it could face 
fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue, or $16.5 billion based on 
its 2024 earnings. 

The company has already found itself in trouble within the EU, coughing up a
200 million fine under the Digital Markets Act. 

The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API puts a strain on our systems
that they were not designed to support, a Meta spokesperson said, calling the
allegations "baseless." 

"Even still, the AI space is highly competitive and people have access to the
services of their choice in any number of ways, including app stores, search
engines, email services, partnership integrations, and operating systems." 

The European Commission promises to carry out an in-depth investigation as a
matter of priority. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/eu-launches-antitrust-investigation-into-metas-w
hatsapp-ai-access-policy

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