Social media Meta faces trouble: EU investigates AI access to WhatsApp
The European Commission is initiating proceedings against Meta due to possible violations of European competition law. Specifically, it is suspected that Meta is unlawfully restricting the access of artificial intelligence (AI) providers to WhatsApp.
04.12.2025, 11:33
SDA
The Facebook group Meta announced in October that it would prohibit AI providers from using an option in the WhatsApp messaging service to communicate with customers if AI is the primary service offered, according to the Commission.
The authority monitors compliance with competition law in the EU. However, according to the new directive, companies can continue to use WhatsApp if the AI tool is offered as a support function such as automated customer support.
Discrimination against AI providers?
The EU's investigation was launched due to concerns that these new restrictions could prevent AI providers from offering their services via WhatsApp in Europe, the Commission said.
"We need to ensure that European citizens and businesses can fully benefit from this technological revolution," said the responsible EU Commissioner Teresa Ribera.
For this reason, the Commission is investigating whether Meta's new directive could be illegal under competition rules. If the EU Commission's suspicions are confirmed, the authority may impose penalties on the US company.
EU already investigating breaches of digital laws
The Facebook group Meta is already being investigated by the EU for violations of European digital laws. At the end of October, the Commission announced that the company was threatened with heavy fines due to a lack of data transparency and the handling of illegal content on its platforms.
The Brussels authority also suspects that the US company could be flouting rules on the protection of minors. For example, because it does not protect children and young people enough from addictive algorithms.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had spoken of "institutionalized censorship" in relation to the digital laws. US President Donald Trump, whose political camp Zuckerberg had moved closer to, had described the EU rules as anti-competitive.
However, he was referring to digital laws - not European competition law, under which the investigation that has now been announced was initiated. A possible US reaction in this case could therefore be more restrained.
Proceedings have already been initiated in the United States due to possible competition law infringements. Most recently, the US government failed in court in its attempt to force the separation of Instagram and WhatsApp from the Facebook group Meta.
