Italy’s antitrust authority has opened a wider investigation into Meta for allegedly forcing its Meta AI assistant onto WhatsApp users without consent and blocking rival chatbot services, a move that could lead to multibillion-dollar fines.
Italy’s antitrust regulator has expanded its probe into Meta over allegations that the company “integrated its Meta AI assistant into WhatsApp without users’ consent” and used its dominance to block rival chatbot services from the platform.
The watchdog is examining new WhatsApp Business terms introduced on 15 October, which ban firms whose main products are AI services from using the platform, warning that these changes could unfairly shut out competitors and distort the market for chatbot tools. It has also begun procedures for potential interim measures, which may include suspending Meta’s new terms while the investigation continues.
WhatsApp has rejected what it calls “unfounded claims”, insisting the business interface “was never designed to be used for AI chatbots”. The inquiry is set to conclude in 2026, and Meta could face fines up to 10% of its global revenue if found guilty.