Meta Stock Faces EU Probe for Blocking Rival AI on WhatsApp

TLDR

• EU regulators charged Meta with antitrust violations for banning competing AI assistants from WhatsApp effective January 15
• European Commission plans interim measures to force Meta to restore third-party AI access during ongoing investigation
• Meta argues WhatsApp Business API isn’t essential for AI distribution with alternatives available through app stores and devices
• EU Commissioner says swift action needed to prevent irreparable competition harm in rapidly developing AI markets
• Meta already paid 200 million euros in EU fines in 2025 for separate data protection violations

European regulators delivered a formal antitrust charge to Meta on Monday. The accusation centers on the company’s decision to block rival AI assistants from accessing WhatsApp.

The European Commission sent Meta a statement of objections. The document accuses Meta of breaking EU competition laws by restricting WhatsApp to only its own Meta AI assistant.

Meta rolled out the controversial policy on January 15. The company first announced the changes to WhatsApp Business Solution Terms back in October.

Meta Platforms, Inc., META

The EU now plans emergency action. Regulators intend to impose interim measures that would force Meta to reverse its WhatsApp AI policy while the investigation continues.

Emergency Measures on the Table

Teresa Ribera serves as the EU’s Commissioner for Competition. She explained why regulators are moving quickly against Meta’s practices.

The interim measures would work simply. Meta would need to restore the access terms that existed before the policy change took effect.

A Commission spokesperson told CNBC the emergency action aims to maintain market competition. The measures would stay in place during the full antitrust investigation.

Meta Pushes Back

The company rejected the EU’s reasoning. A Meta spokesperson defended the WhatsApp policy change as reasonable.

Meta called the Commission’s assumptions incorrect. The company argued WhatsApp Business API shouldn’t be viewed as a critical distribution pathway for AI chatbots.

The charges add to Meta’s growing European regulatory troubles. U.S. tech giants faced multiple billion-dollar fines from EU regulators throughout 2025.

Meta paid 200 million euros in April for violating data protection rules. The fine came after Meta failed to give users adequate choice over personal data usage.

Apple received a 500 million euro penalty the same month. Google paid the steepest price with a 2.95 billion euro fine in September for online advertising antitrust violations.

The Commission hasn’t finalized its decision on interim measures. Meta retains rights of defense before any emergency actions take effect.

The antitrust investigation remains active. Regulators haven’t announced a timeline for completing their review of Meta’s WhatsApp AI restrictions.

The final outcome depends on Meta’s formal response to the charges. The company must address the Commission’s objections before regulators impose any penalties or corrective measures.

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