WhatsApp Messaging Across Apps Launches in EU, Faster Than Anticipated
Brussels – WhatsApp users in the European Union can now message contacts on competing platforms like Signal, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger, a feature rolled out sooner than expected following regulatory pressure. The interoperability update, stemming from the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), allows cross-platform conversations directly within the WhatsApp application.
The move addresses long-standing concerns about platform lock-in and aims to give users more choice in communication. As soon as messages are sent to other providers, those providers’ data protection and usage rules apply, requiring users to familiarize themselves with each platform’s regulations.
Limitations exist: users changing their phone number to a country outside the DMA area will lose access to the cross-platform chat option, and blocking a contact on WhatsApp will not prevent messages from them via third-party apps – blocks must be set up individually within each application.
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, plans to expand the feature in the coming months, adding more Messenger services. The company cautions that the increased collaboration between platforms raises the risk of spam and fraudulent messages, urging users to remain vigilant and protect sensitive data.
