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The DMA requires Meta to give people using WhatsApp in Europe the option to connect with people using third-party messaging services that have chosen to make their apps interoperable. We call this feature, third-party chats.
Following successful small scale tests over the past months, the option for WhatsApp users to chat with users of messaging apps BirdyChat and Haiket directly via third-party chats will soon be rolling out across Europe. This marks a significant milestone in Meta’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) interoperability requirements.
WhatsApp users in Europe, who have opted in to the experience across Android and iOS, will be able to share messages, images, voice messages, videos and files. The option to create groups with third-party users will become available once our partners are ready to support this.
Privacy first approach to interoperability
Meta’s partnerships with BirdyChat and Haiket is a result of more than three years of work with European messaging services and the European Commission to build a solution to third-party chats that meets the requirements of the DMA, while preserving privacy and security for users as much as possible.
This follows three core principles:
- Protecting user security and privacy: In line with DMA requirements, third-party messaging apps must use the same level of E2EE as WhatsApp.
- Clear and simple experience: We’ve provided users with a simple onboarding experience, while ensuring they understand the main differences between chats on WhatsApp and third-party chats.
- Available to European users: In line with DMA requirements, third-party chats will be available to people in the European Region.
For WhatsApp users, connecting with people on other messaging apps is optional and third-party chats can be turned on or off at any time.
We have built third-party interoperability, maintaining E2EE and other privacy guarantees in our services as far as possible. Read more about the technical infrastructure and thinking that sits behind the third-party chats feature in our previous engineering blog on the topic.
What users will see
Over the coming months, WhatsApp users in the European Region will start to see a notification in the Settings tab on WhatsApp. This will explain how they can opt-in to connect with people on third-party apps. Click here to learn more.
We will continue to provide updates on our progress as we roll out further features and expand our interoperability offerings as required by the DMA.
More information about Messaging interoperability at Meta.
