European Commission competition regulators ordered Meta Platforms Inc. on Tuesday to grant rival artificial-intelligence chatbots free access to WhatsApp [1, 2].
The order aims to prevent a dominant digital incumbent from using its market power to block competition in AI-driven services [1, 2]. By forcing interoperability, the EU seeks to ensure that smaller AI developers can reach users without being blocked by the platform owner's ecosystem.
Regulators set a strict implementation deadline of five working days [3]. If Meta fails to comply, the company faces a potential fine of up to 10% of its total turnover from the preceding business year [4].
This move follows an antitrust investigation into how Meta manages its messaging dominance. The company has previously been fined €200 million by EU authorities [3].
"We cannot let large digital incumbents leverage their dominance of the past to dictate who in Europe gets to compete," Teresa Ribera said [5].
Meta has pushed back against the mandate. A spokesperson for the company said Meta has accused the EU of "regulatory overreach" [6].
The order issued on June 9, 2026, represents a significant escalation in the EU's effort to regulate the intersection of social media and generative AI [4].
“"We cannot let large digital incumbents leverage their dominance of the past to dictate who in Europe gets to compete."”
This ruling signals a shift in EU antitrust strategy, moving from retrospective fines to proactive mandates that force platform interoperability. By requiring Meta to open WhatsApp to competitors, the Commission is attempting to prevent the 'walled garden' effect from stifling the burgeoning AI market, potentially creating a blueprint for how other dominant messaging apps must treat third-party AI integrations.
