EU orders – The European Commission has ordered Meta to reopen WhatsApp to third-party AI chatbots for free while it investigates whether Meta used its dominance to block competitors. The move forces Meta to reverse an October 2025 policy and keep the interim measures in
For third-party AI assistants that want to work through WhatsApp for a simple task like sending order alerts. the door just swung back open. The European Union has ordered Meta to allow rival AI chatbots to access WhatsApp again for free while the European Commission investigates whether the messaging app owner violated EU antitrust rules.
Meta’s restriction started with a policy introduced in October 2025. Under that change. third-party AI chatbots were blocked from using the WhatsApp for Business API. leaving Meta AI as the only chatbot able to access the service. Before the ban, companies could send notifications through WhatsApp—order alerts are one example—using other AI assistants.
The Commission moved step by step, opening an antitrust investigation into the policy in December. Earlier this year, officials warned Meta it could face interim measures. In its latest announcement. the Commission said Meta holds a dominant position in the European messaging app market since at least 2023. and that the company appears to abuse that dominance by preventing competing AI assistants from using the WhatsApp API.
Meta did revise its approach in early March, allowing third-party AI assistants to access WhatsApp for a fee. The Commission still did not consider the paid option a better outcome than the outright ban. It said there is an “urgent need” to apply measures that prevent permanent harm to the market while the investigation is ongoing.
The practical effect of the EU order is straightforward: Meta must restore its terms and conditions for third-party AI assistants for WhatsApp before the October 2025 policy took effect. The interim measure must also remain in place until the Commission finishes its probe.
Teresa Ribera, the EU competition chief, framed the urgency in blunt terms: “In rapidly evolving markets, competition can be lost long before a final decision is adopted.”
In parallel, the fee Meta had set for third-party access has come under pressure. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ribera told journalists at a press event that she believed the fee was too high. Meta. for its part. told the same publication it plans to appeal. calling the Commission’s order a regulatory overreach that would let some of the world’s largest companies access the WhatsApp Business API without paying.
As the case continues, the conflict is no longer just about whether Meta can shape how AI assistants connect to WhatsApp. It’s about what happens while the EU looks at the question—free access, for now, and a requirement that the market not be permanently reshaped before the final ruling.
European Commission Meta WhatsApp Meta AI third-party AI chatbots WhatsApp for Business API antitrust investigation interim measures Teresa Ribera competition AI assistants
So Meta has to let other bots in… cool, I guess.
Wait, I thought WhatsApp was already basically a bot app with spam alerts. If they unblock it, does that mean more random order notifications from strangers? because that sounds like a mess.
This is why EU rules matter. Meta “abusing dominance” like they’re locking the door on AI assistants. But didn’t they already allow it for a fee in March? So like… why is free the big deal now? I’m confused.
I don’t even get how this works. If WhatsApp API is blocked, then how were people sending order alerts before? And now they’re doing “interim measures” like a temporary slap on the wrist. Meanwhile Meta AI probably just takes over anyway, so what’s the difference? Also, doesn’t the EU always do this and then nothing changes for regular users?