The European Commission has issued a formal Statement of Objections to Meta Platforms, raising concerns that the company may have breached EU antitrust rules by restricting or excluding third party AI assistants from operating within WhatsApp.
The action signals intensifying regulatory focus on digital gatekeepers, interoperability, and competition in emerging artificial intelligence ecosystems.
A Statement of Objections is a formal step in EU antitrust proceedings. It outlines the European Commission’s preliminary view that a company may have violated EU competition law and provides the opportunity for the company to respond before a final decision is adopted.
While not a final ruling, the issuance of a Statement of Objections reflects serious concerns and can lead to substantial fines or structural remedies if breaches are confirmed.
The Core Competition Concern
According to the Commission’s preliminary assessment, Meta may have limited or prevented third party AI assistants from accessing or integrating with WhatsApp in a manner that disadvantages competing providers.
The concern centres on whether Meta, as a dominant platform operator, has used its control over WhatsApp to favour its own AI services or restrict interoperability in ways that reduce consumer choice and distort competition.
Given WhatsApp’s extensive user base across the European Union, access restrictions may have significant market impact.
Broader Regulatory Context
This action must be viewed within the EU’s wider regulatory framework for digital markets. The Commission has increased scrutiny of large technology platforms, particularly where they function as ecosystem gatekeepers controlling access to data, users, and digital infrastructure.
The integration of AI tools into messaging platforms raises new competition questions, including:
• Whether platform owners can prioritise their own AI products
• How interoperability obligations apply to AI assistants
• Whether user data access creates competitive advantages
• How exclusionary conduct affects innovation
The Meta case may help clarify how existing competition law principles apply in AI driven environments.
Implications for Digital Platforms and AI Providers
The Commission’s action highlights the growing compliance risk associated with platform dominance and ecosystem control. Companies operating large digital infrastructures must consider:
• Whether integration practices disadvantage competitors
• How interoperability policies are applied and documented
• Whether commercial decisions may be perceived as exclusionary
• How regulatory engagement is managed in evolving technology markets
For AI developers, the case underscores the importance of fair access to major digital platforms and transparent integration policies.
Governance and Compliance Considerations
From a compliance perspective, the scrutiny reinforces the need for strong competition law governance within technology companies. This includes:
• Independent review of product integration decisions
• Clear documentation of commercial and technical justifications
• Competition impact assessments for new features
• Ongoing monitoring of regulatory developments
Antitrust risk increasingly intersects with technology design and strategic product decisions.
Potential Consequences
If the European Commission ultimately concludes that EU antitrust rules were breached, Meta could face significant financial penalties and potentially behavioural or structural remedies requiring changes to platform access rules.
The outcome may set important precedents for how AI tools operate within dominant messaging and social media ecosystems.
