Italy Orders Meta to Lift Ban on Third-Party AI Chatbots in WhatsApp

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) issued an important order to Meta on December 24, 2025, mandating the immediate suspension of new WhatsApp contract terms. According to the regulator, the platform's current policy creates artificial barriers for integrating third-party AI chatbots, granting an undue advantage to Meta's own developments (Meta AI). This decision was made as part of an ongoing investigation into potential abuse of dominant market position in the messaging sector.

The AGCM's interim measure aims to protect competition in the rapidly growing AI assistant sector. The regulator fears Meta could leverage WhatsApp's massive user base to monopolize the personal AI market, cutting off access for innovative startups and competitors. Experts note that the Italian precedent could trigger a chain reaction of investigations across the European Union, forcing tech giants to rethink their "walled garden" strategies and open their platforms to the external ecosystem.

Source: Reuters