Italy’s competition watchdog has widened its probe into Meta Platforms. The regulator now accuses the company of using WhatsApp to unfairly dominate the AI chatbot market.
What Changed on Wednesday?
The Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM) announced the case now covers WhatsApp Business Solution terms introduced on 15 October 2025.
Why Regulators Are Worried
Meta is adding its own AI chatbots directly inside WhatsApp the world’s most-used messaging app. Italian officials say this gives Meta’s tools a huge built-in advantage. Independent AI developers may struggle to compete on:
- Features
- Price
- Speed of innovation
The AGCM calls this an unfair barrier that shuts smaller companies out of the market.
Possible Immediate Actions
The authority warned it can step in right away. It may:
- Freeze the new WhatsApp business rules
- Stop Meta from rolling out more AI features in Italy
Not the First Problem This Year
This is the second major Meta investigation in Italy during 2025. In July, the AGCM opened a case over Meta training its AI on user data without proper permission.
Italy Takes a Tough Stance
Italy is now one of the strictest EU countries when it comes to Big Tech and AI rules. The expanded case increases pressure on Meta as European regulators watch closely.
Meta has not yet commented on the latest developments.
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