EU charges Meta with antitrust violations over blocking rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp
19 Sources
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Brussels eyes crowbar for Meta's WhatsApp AI lockout
Euro watchdog says Zuckcorp blocked rival AI assistants in WhatsApp - weighs emergency action to force 'em back in Brussels has accused Meta of breaking EU competition rules by locking rival AI chatbots out of WhatsApp, opening the door to emergency action that could force the tech giant to let
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EU threatens Meta with interim measure for blocking AI rivals from WhatsApp
BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - EU competition regulators on Monday charged Meta Platforms with breaching antitrust rules by blocking artificial intelligence rivals from its messaging service WhatsApp and threatened to impose interim measures against the U.S. tech giant. The move by the European
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EU announces it plans to impose measures on Meta to reverse WhatsApp AI policy
The investigation is still ongoing, and interim measures are subject to Meta's reply and rights of defence. The European Commission has told Meta it intends to impose "interim measures" to stop the tech giant from excluding third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp. On Monday, the EU informed the
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EU warns Meta over blocking rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp
The EU could take "interim measures" against WhatsApp as it investigates AI providers' access to the app. On Monday, the EU's regulatory arm announced its "preliminary view" that Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, violated antitrust laws by blocking third-party AI assistants from operating on
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EU tells Meta to let rivals run AI chatbots on WhatsApp
The EU has told Meta it has breached its rules by blocking other rival AI firms' chatbots from WhatsApp, and must make "urgent" changes. The tech giant changed the popular messaging app on 15 January - and since then only its AI assistant Meta AI can access it. But the European Commission said
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EU threatens to act over Meta blocking rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp
Firm accused of 'abusing' its dominant position for messaging in what appears to be breach of antitrust rules The EU has threatened to take action against the social media company Meta, arguing it has blocked rival chatbots from using its WhatsApp messaging platform. The European Commission said
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EU warns Meta it must open up WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - The EU executive on Monday told Meta to give rival chatbots access to WhatsApp after an antitrust probe found the US giant to be in breach of the bloc's competition rules. The European Commission said a change in Meta's terms had "effectively" barred third-party
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EU tells Meta rival chatbots must be available on WhatsApp - SiliconANGLE
The European Union today issued a warning to WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms Inc. today, threatening to possibly take action against the firm for blocking rival chatbots from the messaging platform. The European Commission said WhatsApp Business may have violated EU antitrust rules after an update
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EU regulators say Meta AI holds unfair monopoly on WhatsApp
European Union competition regulators charged Meta Platforms on Monday with antitrust violations for blocking rival AI assistants from WhatsApp through a policy effective January 15, 2026, and threatened interim measures to reverse it. The European Commission issued a statement of objections, a
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EU warns Meta it must open up WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots
Competition chief Teresa Ribera said the EU was "considering quickly imposing interim measures on Meta, to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation is ongoing, and avoid Meta's new policy irreparably harming competition in Europe." The EU executive, which is in charge of
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EU Tells Meta to Allow Room for Rival AI Assistants | PYMNTS.com
By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The European Commission (EC) announced Monday (Feb. 9) that it sent a statement
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EU plans interim measures after Meta blocks AI rivals in WhatsApp
The European Commission said it has sent a statement of objections to Meta Platforms (META), stating its preliminary view that the company breached EU antitrust rules by excluding third-party AI assistants from accessing and interacting with users on WhatsApp. On The Commission believes Meta's
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EU Commission cautions Meta over blocking third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp
The European Commission has informed Meta of its preliminary view that the company may have breached EU antitrust rules by excluding third-party artificial intelligence (AI) assistants from WhatsApp. The move escalates an investigation launched in late 2025 and could lead to interim measures aimed
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Third-Party AI Chatbots Ban on WhatsApp Sparks Probe in Europe
After Italy, the European Commission (EC) has also objected to Meta's recent decision to disallow third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp. Meta thereby violated the European Union's antitrust rules, the EC said in a press release. As a result, the Commission plans to impose temporary measures on Meta
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EU warns Meta over blocking rival AI chatbots from WhatsApp | BreakingNews
Meta has been warned by EU regulators that it might have to take steps to open up access to WhatsApp for rival artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The European Commission, the EU's executive body, said Meta had effectively banned competitors from its messaging app and risked "irreparably
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EU threatens measures to stop Meta blocking AI rivals from WhatsApp
STORY: A Silicon Valley giant is once again in hot water with the European Union. EU regulators have threatened Meta with temporary restrictions to stop it blocking AI rivals from its WhatsApp messaging service. It would come while they investigate suspected abuse of a dominant position by the
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EU Warns Meta of Interim Measures in WhatsApp AI Probe -- Update
The European Union sent a statement of objections to Meta Platforms on Monday as part of its investigation into how the tech giant treats rival artificial-intelligence chatbots on its WhatsApp messaging service. The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, said it intends to impose interim
[18]
EU threatens Meta with interim measure for blocking AI rivals from WhatsApp
BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - EU competition regulators on Monday charged Meta Platforms with breaching antitrust rules by blocking artificial intelligence rivals from its messaging service WhatsApp and threatened to impose interim measures against the U.S. tech giant. The move by the European
[19]
Meta criticises EU antitrust move against WhatsApp block on AI rivals
BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms on Monday criticised EU regulators after they charged the U.S. tech giant with breaching antitrust rules and threaten to halt its block on AI rivals on its messaging service WhatsApp. "The facts are that there is no reason for the EU to intervene in the
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The European Commission has accused Meta of violating EU competition rules by blocking third-party AI assistants like ChatGPT and Copilot from WhatsApp. Brussels is considering emergency interim measures to force the tech giant to restore competitor access while its antitrust investigation continues, warning that Meta's policy could cause serious and irreparable harm to the AI assistant market.
European Commission Targets Meta Over WhatsApp AI Restrictions
The European Commission has charged Meta with breaching EU antitrust rules by blocking rival AI chatbots from operating on WhatsApp, escalating a dispute that could reshape how AI assistants reach consumers. Brussels sent Meta a statement of objections on Monday, outlining its preliminary view that the tech giant is abusing its dominant market position to give itself an unfair advantage in the rapidly expanding AI assistant market
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Source: Reuters
At the center of the controversy are policy changes Meta announced in October 2025 to its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms. According to regulators, these updates effectively banned general-purpose third-party AI assistants from accessing the platform, leaving Meta AI as the only assistant allowed to plug directly into WhatsApp
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. The restrictions came into full force on January 15, 2026, prompting OpenAI and Microsoft to pull their services from the messaging app.
Source: BreakingNews.ie
OpenAI and Microsoft Exit WhatsApp
OpenAI, which had amassed more than 50 million users on WhatsApp, announced it would no longer be available on the platform following Meta's policy shift. "We would have much preferred to continue serving you on WhatsApp," the company stated, directly attributing the withdrawal to the policy changes
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. Microsoft followed suit, removing Copilot from WhatsApp the following month. "Copilot on WhatsApp has helped millions of people connect with their AI companion in a familiar, everyday setting," Microsoft noted, confirming that the transition was necessary due to WhatsApp's updated terms1
.The European Commission believes Meta holds a dominant position in consumer messaging across the European Economic Area, largely due to WhatsApp's enormous user base. In Brussels' assessment, the app has become a crucial distribution channel for AI assistants trying to reach consumers, meaning blocking rivals could choke off competition before it properly develops
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Source: Seeking Alpha
Interim Measures on the Table
The Commission warned that Meta's policy risks causing "serious and irreparable harm" to the market for AI assistants and is now considering interim measures that could compel Meta to restore competitor access while the broader antitrust probe continues
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. Such emergency steps are rarely deployed and typically signal that regulators believe waiting for a final decision could permanently distort the market. A Commission spokesperson indicated that interim measures would involve asking Meta to maintain third-party AI assistants' access to WhatsApp under the terms that existed before the policy change3
.Teresa Ribera, the Commission's executive vice president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, framed the case as an early test of how EU competition rules apply to AI ecosystems. "Artificial intelligence is bringing incredible innovations to consumers, and one of these is the emerging market of AI assistants," Ribera said. "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"
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Meta Pushes Back Against Brussels
Meta has firmly rejected the Commission's position. A company spokesperson told reporters there is "no reason" for EU intervention, arguing that AI assistants have multiple ways to reach users, including through mobile app stores, operating systems, devices, websites, and industry partnerships
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. The spokesperson also pointed to a similar dispute in Brazil, where courts dismissed arguments that WhatsApp represents a critical entry point for chatbot services1
.What This Means for AI Competition
Regulators fear the restrictions could raise entry barriers for smaller players hoping to gain traction in the AI sector, strengthen Meta's foothold in AI distribution, and squeeze out competitors in a market developing at rapid pace
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. Mathias Vermeulen, director at AWO, a law firm working on EU digital policies, noted that the preliminary findings demonstrate firms operating in the EU cannot use their control over one market "to unfairly advantage themselves in another"5
.Meta now has the opportunity to respond to the Commission's objections and defend its policy. If Brussels ultimately rules against the company following the investigation launched in December 2025, Meta could face hefty fines and orders to change how WhatsApp integrates with third-party AI assistants
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. The decision on interim measures will depend on Meta's reply and rights of defense, but the move signals Brussels' determination to act swiftly in shaping competition in emerging AI markets2
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