Italy orders Meta to lift WhatsApp AI restrictions – Digital Watch Observatory
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Home | Updates | Italy orders Meta to lift WhatsApp AI restrictions
Regulators warned Meta’s AI integration could undermine competition and harm consumers.
Italy’s competition authority has ordered Meta to halt restrictions limiting rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp. Regulators say the measures may distort competition as Meta integrates its own AI services.
The Italian watchdog argues Meta’s conduct risks restricting market access and slowing technical development. Officials warned that continued enforcement could cause lasting harm to competition and consumer choice.
Meta rejected the ruling and confirmed plans to appeal, calling the decision unfounded. The company stated that WhatsApp Business was never intended to serve as a distribution platform for AI services.
The case forms part of a broader European push to scrutinise dominant tech firms. Regulators are increasingly focused on the integration of AI across platforms with entrenched market power.
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