Meta has lost its legal challenge against the European Union’s designation of its Messenger service as a “gatekeeper” platform in a ruling that reinforces Brussels’ tightening grip on Big Tech regulation.
The decision was delivered by the EU’s General Court, which upheld the European Commission’s conclusion that Messenger plays a significant role as a gateway for businesses to reach users, bringing it under the strict obligations of the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Judges stated clearly that “the Commission did not err in finding that Messenger individually is an important gateway,” confirming the platform’s inclusion in the regulatory framework designed to curb the market power of dominant tech firms.
The ruling means Messenger will remain subject to a range of DMA requirements aimed at ensuring fair competition and limiting the influence of large digital platforms across Europe.
However, the court struck down the Commission’s earlier decision to classify Meta’s Marketplace service as a gatekeeper. It ruled that regulators had not sufficiently justified the designation, effectively annulling the status. The European Commission had already withdrawn the classification last year after Marketplace fell below the required user threshold.
A spokesperson for Meta said the company welcomed the ruling on Marketplace and is reviewing the court’s decision regarding Messenger, adding that it will consider its next legal steps.
The case forms part of the broader enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023 and introduces a set of strict rules aimed at limiting the dominance of major technology platforms and promoting fairer competition in the digital economy.
Under the DMA, designated gatekeepers must comply with obligations such as increased interoperability, data transparency, and restrictions on self-preferencing practices that could disadvantage competitors.
The judgement can still be appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the bloc’s highest judicial authority, leaving the final outcome open to further legal scrutiny.
The ruling underscores Europe’s continued determination to assert regulatory control over global tech giants as debates intensify over competition, privacy, and platform power in the digital age.
