Rome, November 26, 2025 — The Italian Competition Authority has expanded its probe into Meta and moved to consider interim measures after finding that new WhatsApp Business contractual terms — introduced on 15 October — may unlawfully exclude rival AI chatbot providers from the platform and restrict innovation in Italy’s fast-growing AI services market.
Concerns
The authority said Meta’s updated WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, together with the integration of new Meta AI interaction tools on the platform, could limit production, market access or technical development in the AI chatbot services market. These terms prevent Meta AI competitors from using WhatsApp as of 15 October 2025.
According to the authority, the conduct may constitute an abuse of dominant position in breach of Article 102 TFEU, given WhatsApp’s entrenched user base and consumers’ limited willingness to switch services. The alleged exclusionary behaviour, if confirmed, risks irreparably harming market contestability.
The authority has opened a procedure under Section 14-bis of Law 287/1990 to assess whether interim measures are needed to prevent immediate and irreversible harm. The proceeding runs alongside the already-opened investigation into Meta Platforms Inc., Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, WhatsApp Ireland Limited and Facebook Italy S.r.l.
The authority says Meta’s new terms could affect downstream competition by foreclosing alternative chatbot providers that rely on WhatsApp to reach customers in Italy, potentially reducing consumer choice and slowing innovation in AI-based business messaging tools.
Source: https://en.agcm.it/en/media/press-releases/2025/11/A576
