In legal setback for Meta Platforms Inc., a Brazilian federal court has reinstated a preventive measure originally issued by the country’s antitrust regulator, CADE. The ruling once again bars the tech giant from restricting third-party artificial intelligence tools on its WhatsApp Business platform, effective immediately.
The court’s decision, announced by CADE on Tuesday, effectively overrules a January injunction that had briefly swung the pendulum in Meta’s favor. That earlier suspension had allowed Meta to move forward with platform changes that critics argued would stifle competition in the burgeoning AI chatbot market. With the latest judicial intervention, the preventive restrictions are back in force as a broader investigation into Meta’s market conduct continues.
The conflict centers on a probe launched by CADE following a series of formal complaints from independent AI service providers. These developers alleged that Meta’s updated rules for WhatsApp Business were designed to create a “walled garden,” making it difficult for external AI tools to operate seamlessly on the platform while favoring Meta’s own integrated solutions.
CADE’s investigative arm maintains that such restrictions could constitute anticompetitive practices, particularly given WhatsApp’s dominant position in the Brazilian economy. Brazil remains one of the largest global markets for the messaging app, where it serves as a primary infrastructure for customer service, retail, and logistics.
Meta declined to comment on the reinstatement of the measure, and the federal court did not immediately respond to requests for further clarification on the legal grounds for the reversal.
The reinstatement of the order signals a rigorous stance by Brazilian authorities against “gatekeeping” by major tech platforms. For the duration of the investigation, Meta is legally required to maintain interoperability for third-party AI tools, ensuring that independent developers can continue to offer automated services to the millions of Brazilian businesses relying on the app.
The outcome of the full CADE investigation remains pending, but legal experts suggest this latest court move highlights the increasing pressure on Big Tech to maintain open digital ecosystems in Latin America’s largest economy.