EU Orders Meta to Open WhatsApp to Rival AI Chatbots—Meta Calls It 'Regulatory Overreach'

The European Commission has ordered Meta to reinstate third-party AI access to the WhatsApp Business API within five days, citing concerns that Meta's restrictions could harm competition and innovation. This interim measure, issued on June 20, 2024, aims to prevent Meta from further entrenching its dominant position in the messaging market. The Commission is investigating whether Meta's new terms of service, which limit how AI chatbots can interact with WhatsApp Business users, violate EU competition law. Meta has criticized the decision, calling it "regulatory overreach" and stating that it "misunderstands the purpose of end-to-end encryption and the risks associated with allowing AI chatbots to access user messages." The company argues that allowing unauthorized AI access would compromise the privacy and security of its users. The investigation will assess if Meta's actions constitute an abuse of its dominant position, potentially leading to significant fines if found in violation of EU antitrust rules. The Commission's Directorate-General for Competition is leading the inquiry.