The European Union has taken a significant step in its ongoing campaign to regulate major technology firms by launching a formal antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. The probe, announced on Thursday, 4th December 2025, will scrutinise whether the way Meta is integrating artificial intelligence features into its popular WhatsApp messaging service violates the bloc's competition rules.
Core of the EU's Competition Concerns
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, stated it is specifically concerned that a new Meta policy, unveiled in October, could unfairly hinder rival AI companies. The policy in question relates to the business version of WhatsApp, which companies use to communicate with customers. The Commission fears the rules may "prevent third party AI providers from offering their services through WhatsApp."
In a detailed statement, the EU explained that the policy appears to restrict the ability of external AI providers to use a specific tool within WhatsApp Business. "As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp," the Commission warned. Crucially, it noted that while competitors could be blocked, Meta's own AI service, known as 'Meta AI', would continue to have full access to users on the platform.
A Broader Clash Over Digital Sovereignty
This investigation represents the latest strategic move by the 27-nation European Union to assert control over the market power of American tech giants, collectively known as Big Tech. The action comes amid significant political tension, facing strong pushback from the administration of US President Donald Trump. President Trump has previously accused EU digital regulations of unfairly targeting American companies and has threatened retaliatory measures.
Interestingly, this case is being pursued under the EU's established antitrust laws rather than its newer, reinforced digital regulations like the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This legal choice may be a strategic one, leveraging long-standing competition frameworks that are harder for external critics to challenge as novel or biased.
Official Stance and Geographic Scope
EU competition chief, Teresa Ribera, justified the probe by emphasising the need to protect market innovation. "We must act to prevent dominant digital incumbents from abusing their power to crowd out innovative competitors," Ribera declared. She added that the investigation aims to determine if Meta's policy is illegal under competition rules and whether swift action is needed "to prevent any possible irreparable harm to competition in the AI space."
The EU's investigation will cover the European Economic Area (EEA). This includes all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. However, Italy is a notable exception, as its national antitrust authority opened a separate probe into Meta in July 2025. The Italian body has expressed concerns that by merging Meta AI with WhatsApp, the company may be forcing its AI services on users and funnelling its vast customer base into the emerging AI market.
This probe underscores the escalating global scrutiny over how tech giants leverage their existing platforms to dominate adjacent, high-growth markets like artificial intelligence, setting the stage for a major regulatory battle with implications for digital markets worldwide.
