EU Warns Meta Over WhatsApp AI Policy and Antitrust Rules
The European Union has charged Meta with breaking antitrust rules. This comes after Meta limited WhatsApp to its own AI assistant, Meta AI. On Monday, the European Commission warned that this move could block rivals and hurt competition. To prevent long-term damage to the market, the EU may take emergency action.
EU competition regulators officially charged Meta Platforms because the company restricted access to other AI services on WhatsApp. Officials believe this move unfairly shuts out competing developers.
EU Commission Issues Statement of Objections
The European Commission serves as the region’s competition watchdog. It stated that Meta’s decision to only allow “Meta AI” on WhatsApp could distort the market for AI services. This policy began on January 15.
As part of the investigation, the Commission sent Meta a “statement of objections.” This document outlines their initial findings and explains how Meta may have broken EU laws. This is a standard part of the legal process, giving Meta a chance to defend itself before a final decision is made.
The Commission argues that blocking third-party AI tools prevents competitors from reaching users on one of the world’s most popular messaging apps. This could make Meta too dominant in both the messaging and AI industries.
Possible Emergency Measures
Regulators also warned they might use “interim measures.” These are emergency steps used to stop immediate harm to the market while an investigation is still active.
The Commission intends to act quickly to ensure Meta’s policy does not cause “serious and irreparable harm” to the industry. Any temporary restrictions will depend on Meta’s official response and their legal defense.
Meta Responds to the EU Warning
Meta has rejected the EU’s claims. In a statement to Reuters, a Meta spokesperson said there is no reason for the EU to interfere.
The company argued that users have many other ways to find AI services, such as through app stores, websites, and different devices. Meta also claimed that the Commission is overstating WhatsApp’s importance, arguing that the app is not the primary way for users to access AI chatbots.
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