Italy Orders Meta To Suspend WhatsApp Policy Blocking Third-Party AI Chatbots

Credits: Reuters Italy’s competition watchdog has stepped in against Meta, ordering the company to temporarily suspend a WhatsApp policy that prevents businesses from using its tools to distribute independent AI chatbots on the platform. Why Italy’s Regulator Intervened On Wednesday, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) said it found sufficient grounds to act while its investigation into Meta is still ongoing. The watchdog is examining whether Meta abused its dominant market position by restricting access to WhatsApp’s business API, effectively limiting how rival AI chatbot providers can reach users. ALSO READ:  WhatsApp Chat Lock Feature Lets You Hide Private Conversations Learn How It Works According to the AGCM, Meta’s conduct “appears to constitute an abuse” because it could restrict market access and technical development in the AI chatbot services space. The authority warned that, if left unchecked, the policy could cause “serious and irreparable harm” to competition and undermine fair contestability in the market. What the WhatsApp Policy Does The dispute centres on a policy change Meta introduced in October, which is set to take effect in January. Under the updated rules, companies are barred from using WhatsApp’s business API to offer general-purpose AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Claude, or bots
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