Italy Tells Meta to Suspend Its Policy That Bans Rival AI Chatbots From WhatsApp

Italy orders Meta to suspend WhatsApp policy banning rival AI chatbots—citing antitrust concerns and consumer harm.
Matilda
Italy Tells Meta to Suspend Its Policy That Bans Rival AI Chatbots From WhatsApp
Italy Orders Meta to Suspend WhatsApp AI Chatbot Ban Amid Antitrust Probe In a move that could reshape how AI services reach billions of users, Italy has ordered Meta to immediately suspend its controversial policy banning third-party AI chatbots from WhatsApp. The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) announced the emergency measure Wednesday, citing “serious and irreparable harm to competition” if the ban takes effect as planned in January 2026. This decision directly responds to widespread user and developer concerns about Meta leveraging its dominance to favor its own Meta AI while blocking rivals like ChatGPT and Claude. Credit: Aytac Unal/Anadolu Agency / Getty Images Why Italy Stepped In: Abuse of Market Power Allegations The AGCM’s intervention stems from an expanded antitrust investigation launched in November 2024. Regulators allege that Meta’s updated WhatsApp Business API policy—announced in October—effectively closes the door to competing AI providers by prohibiting “general-p…