Abuso di posizione dominante nelle piattaforme online : il caso Meta AI

Abstract

This paper analyses the evolving concept of abuse of a dominant position in digital platform markets, where competitive dynamics are increasingly influenced by architectural factors. Defaults and entry points have emerged as new instruments of exclusion, transforming control over user access and data into structural market power. Using the Meta AI case as a paradigmatic example, the analysis illustrates how «by design» integration within WhatsApp marks a shift from contractual to architectural forms of tying and self-preferencing. The discussion contextualises this development within the broader framework of EU competition law, particularly in reference to the forthcoming Guidelines on Article 102 TFEU. The paper contends that interface-driven exclusion, where the architecture of access channels demands or reinforces data-driven feedback loops, necessitates a context-sensitive analytical and reme- dial framework. Ultimately, the paper contends that adapting traditional antitrust principles to architecture-based market structures is essential to preserve competition on the merits and sustain innovation.