The European Union is on the verge of launching a probe concerning Meta Platforms’ use of AI-integrated WhatsApp, as stated in the Financial Times report. It is expected that the European Commission will make a public announcement of the investigation imminently, thereby adding to a series of regulatory moves which have been directed at the dominance of major US technology firms in the European digital landscape.
The investigation will examine the manner in which Meta has utilized its “Meta AI” technology in WhatsApp, a messaging platform that has a large global user base. The first set of functionalities was made public for the users in the early part of this year—in March is the month when the very first feature was unveiled—but it is still ambiguous which particular aspects of the implementation had prompted regulatory officials to intervene.
Not the Digital Markets Act, But Antitrust Law
Once again, an article reveals that the Commission’s probe will be based on conventional EU antitrust regulations, which excludes the use of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as a legal basis. The DMA, which has been effective since 2023, enumerates the strict rules that need to be followed by “gatekeeper” platforms, which include Apple, Google, Amazon, and Meta, among others. The law aims at preventing the dominant players from using their market power to the detriment of both the competition and smaller rivals.
The Commission`s decision to rely on the traditional antitrust framework may be indicative that its members are concerned about whether the usage of AI features on WhatsApp may lead to the reduction of competition, limit consumer choice, or result in the exploitation of the dominant position of a platform in the messaging field.
Rising Pressure on Big Tech in Europe
Over the past few years, the EU has gradually tightened its control on Big Tech companies which is a reflection of the mounting worries about the issues that have arisen such as market concentration, data practices, and the influence exerted by large US tech giants on European markets and the people living there.
Meta, Google, Amazon, and Apple have been the subjects of numerous antitrust investigations, resulting in fines and other measures taken in their regulatory actions across the bloc. The WhatsApp probe, as the case may be, will place the relationship between Meta and EU regulatory bodies on the verge of collapse that is to say the relationship will become almost unworkable, particularly after the cases of privacy violations, data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook, and competition all led to concerns in the digital advertising field, which have been the main reasons for the friction with the EU regulators.
The US Response to EU Regulation
During the Trump administration, a harsh stance was always taken towards the European regulatory measures affecting US companies in the field of technology. Throughout his presidency, Donald Trump has blamed the EU for setting barriers that negatively affect American tech companies.
The Digital Markets Act is seen by Washington as a tactical measure geared at decreasing the influence of the US technology giants over the European market, the Financial Times writes. In his previous statements, Trump has mentioned that continued regulation from the EU side may lead to retaliatory measures which cover the areas such as imposing tariffs and restricting the export of advanced technologies and semiconductors. Last August, he warned of the imposition of additional trade actions in response to national digital services taxes if the taxes are not neutral but disproportionately affect American firms.
Not a single question about WhatsApp AI Implementation Has Been Answered
Meta is proud of launching the AI feature on three platforms comprising WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, branding it as a way to provide customers a new conversational experience, potential of enhancing search, and user-friendly personalized assistance. On the other hand, consumer groups and regulators have questions about how data is gathered, whether users’ consent is properly obtained, and how AI-generated content could change communication on a platform that has more than two billion users.
So far, the Commission has not confirmed the extent of its investigation and, thus it is not known whether the problems are related to privacy, competition, or protection of users, or a mixture of these factors. In case the investigation goes on, it will make the list of the EU’s major tech probes even longer and will undoubtedly further establish Europe as a worldwide leader when it comes to digital regulation testing.