European regulators are intensifying their scrutiny of Meta’s use of AI in WhatsApp, with investigations set to commence in the coming days. The investigation will focus closely on the “Meta AI” system, which was launched in March.
The European Commission will investigate under traditional competition rules, rather than the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which targets the dominance of large digital platforms — particularly given that the Trump administration still views the DMA as a European effort to reduce US tech leverage.
The probe is carried out under traditional EU competition law, not the Digital Markets Act, indicating that Brussels views the core issue as potential abuse of market dominance.
Italy started its probe into Meta months ago
Italy had already begun its examination into Meta several months earlier. The tech giant was accused of abusing its dominant position by allegedly incorporating AI features into WhatsApp without securing user consent. Italian regulators say that by embedding Meta AI into WhatsApp, the company could steer users toward its own service and restrict competition from external AI chatbot providers.
WhatsApp also issued modifications to its business solution terms in October, an update that Italy’s authorities argued could further limit market access for competitors.
Meta has insisted the claims are “unfounded” and that the AI market remains open and competitive outside of WhatsApp. Their initial investigations began in July, following earlier indications that Meta may have violated competition rules with the integration of its AI assistant.
WhatsApp’s huge European user base makes this a crucial investigation, as the outcome could set an important precedent for other leading platforms on how they integrate AI assistants into their systems while maintaining fair competition.
Lately, the EU has been keeping a tighter eye on big tech companies in recent years to safeguard against potential market abuses, while US firms ramp up their digital presence in Europe. There are still DMA cases focused on Alphabet’s ranking of news outlets and the cloud computing practices of Amazon or Microsoft.
President Trump has previously criticized EU tech policies
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has urged the Trump administration to oppose EU digital rules.
However, before this, President Trump had also condemned EU tech and competition policies, which he considers detrimental to the country, given the competitive costs of the rules they impose. In August, he warned of tariffs and export controls on cutting-edge technology and semiconductors in retaliation for digital taxes by other countries.
After meeting Zuckerberg’s lobbying team, both Trump and Vice President Vance spoke out against EU regulations.
Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pressed Brussels last month to ease its digital oversight. Regulators have repeatedly stated they will impose a set of digital rules despite the Washington critique or threats of retaliation. However, the latest inquiry into Meta could drive more friction across the Atlantic, as US officials increasingly express disdain for EU regulation of major tech companies.
The EU’s potential investigation suggests that Meta will face more regulatory burdens persistently internationally, particularly as artificial intelligence capabilities become increasingly integral to consumer services.
Nonetheless, the firm has been dealing with antitrust cases domestically. However, in the last case brought by the US Federal Trade Commission, which could have compelled it to sell both Instagram and WhatsApp, it prevailed. The former FTC chair had accused Meta of employing “buy or bury” tactics to suppress new rivals, given its acquisitions of the two apps.
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Source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/eu-opens-probe-into-whatsapps/
