EU Charges Meta Over WhatsApp AI Access
EU Charges Meta over blocking rival AI on WhatsApp; the Commission intends interim measures that could force restored access and raise regulatory risk.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Commission charged Meta with abusing dominance by blocking third-party AI access to WhatsApp.
- Commission intends interim measures to reverse Meta's Jan. 15, 2026 WhatsApp Business API restriction.
- Action could force restored access for rival AI and complicate Meta's WhatsApp AI rollout.
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Meta Platforms faced formal EU charges on Feb. 9, 2026 (ET) after the European Commission accused the company of breaching antitrust rules by restricting third-party AI access to WhatsApp. The Commission said it intends to seek interim measures to reverse the policy.
Commission Pursues Interim Measures Over AI Access
The European Commission sent a statement of objections charging Meta Platforms with violating EU antitrust rules by blocking third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp. The antitrust probe began in December 2025.
The Commission said Meta holds a dominant position in the consumer communications market across the European Economic Area (EEA), excluding Italy, and alleges the company abused that dominance by denying rivals access to users. It plans to impose interim measures to prevent serious and irreparable market harm, subject to Meta’s reply and defense rights. The statement of objections is a preliminary step without a legal deadline for a final ruling.
This action adds to ongoing EU scrutiny of Meta, including separate investigations into Facebook and Instagram and an appeal over a Digital Markets Act fine.
WhatsApp Policy Restricts Rival AI Access
On Jan. 15, 2026, Meta implemented a policy restricting the WhatsApp Business API to its own AI assistant, excluding general-purpose rival AI providers. The policy applies across the EEA, which includes the 27 EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. WhatsApp Business serves more than 200 million European business users, a scale central to the Commission’s concerns that the policy channels business-facing AI distribution onto Meta’s own service.
Meta disputes that the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for third-party chatbots, citing alternatives such as app stores, operating systems, and websites.
The Commission’s action reflects growing regulatory pressure on major digital platforms as AI features expand. If interim measures are imposed, Meta could be forced to restore access for rival assistants, complicating its AI rollout on WhatsApp.
