The Competition Authority made an important decision that closely concerns the technology world and launched a comprehensive investigation into the WhatsApp application within Meta Platforms. With the official decision taken on May 14, 2026, Meta’s manner of integrating the Meta AI artificial intelligence service into the WhatsApp platform and its attitude towards third-party artificial intelligence providers were put under scrutiny. The Authority announced that it initiated a legal process with the purpose of determining whether the enterprise in question violates the 6th element of the Law on the Protection of Competition No. 4054. This step raised important questions about whether Meta was using its dominant position in the digital market to exclude its competitors.

This decision taken by the institution aims to protect the competitiveness of third-party developers operating in the field of artificial intelligence.

The Investigation Process Is Based on Legal Justifications

In the statement made by the Competition Authority, it was emphasized that the findings obtained during the preliminary investigation process indicated that Meta prevented third-party general-purpose productive artificial intelligence chat robots from providing services via WhatsApp. This situation is considered a significant violation in terms of protecting competition. Allegations that the company makes it difficult for outside Competitors to enter the market by making its own artificial intelligence services the primary option form the basis of the investigation.

Within the scope of the investigation, the activities of all relevant units such as Meta Platforms, Inc., Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms İstanbul Bilişim Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi will be inspected. In this process, the company’s commercial strategies and practices will be subjected to detailed analysis within the framework of competition law.

Meta’s Strategies May Be Restricting Competition

The prioritization of digital platforms’ own services has become an issue closely monitored by competition authorities around the world. In particular, the selectiveness of a huge platform with millions of users, such as WhatsApp, in artificial intelligence integration can create a significant entry barrier for other technology companies. The Competition Authority aims to prevent this process from causing further damage to the competitive environment with the temporary precautionary decisions it takes.

The termination of the artificial intelligence ecosystem by technology giants using their market dominance constitutes a critical turning point for the future of the sector.

Corporate Responsibilities and Future Steps are Determined

In the later stages of the investigation, Meta’s defense will be taken and a final decision will be made in the light of the data presented. If the violation situation becomes stricter, the company may face significant administrative fines or may have to make compulsive changes in its service policy. This determined attitude of the Competition Authority is of great importance in creating a fair playing field for all domestic and foreign technology enterprises.

How do you evaluate this artificial intelligence attack by Meta on WhatsApp and the investigation initiated by the Competition Authority? How do you think this step will affect digital competition? You can join the discussion by sharing your comments with us.