Watchdog moves against Meta over WhatsApp AI chatbot restrictions
Italy’s competition authority has ordered Meta Platforms to suspend certain contractual terms governing WhatsApp, taking interim action during an ongoing antitrust investigation opened in July 2025. The order, issued under national competition law enforcement powers, requires Meta to halt enforcement of terms that may block or restrict the operation of rival artificial intelligence chatbots on WhatsApp while the probe continues.
Procedural details
The order was issued by Italy’s antitrust authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), as an interim measure within an active competition investigation. According to the authority, the suspension applies pending the outcome of the broader inquiry, which remains ongoing and was formally opened in July 2025. The measure targets specific WhatsApp contractual terms that affect third-party AI chatbots. The authority’s action is limited to suspending enforcement of those provisions during the investigative phase rather than imposing a final remedy or penalty at this stage. The order does not close the case and does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation.
AGCM’s intervention is grounded in alleged abuse of a dominant market position. The authority has raised concerns that the disputed terms may exclude competitors by restricting the ability of rival AI chatbot providers to operate on or interoperate with WhatsApp.
The authority has also identified potential effects on innovation, citing the risk that limits on third-party chatbot access could reduce competitive pressure and development in AI-enabled messaging services.
The suspension is designed to preserve competitive conditions while the investigation proceeds. AGCM’s decision reflects its assessment that interim measures are warranted to prevent possible harm to competition during the period required to complete the probe. The authority’s order applies only for the duration of the investigation and is subject to further procedural steps and findings.
Company response
Meta has disputed the watchdog’s decision. In response to the order, the company said the measure is “fundamentally flawed,” and indicated that it plans to appeal. The statement was attributed to Meta in relation to the AGCM order. Meta has also argued that heavy usage of AI chatbots places a strain on WhatsApp’s infrastructure. The company has cited infrastructure capacity as a factor in setting the terms governing chatbot activity on the messaging platform. Meta’s response contests the basis for the interim suspension while confirming its intention to challenge the order through available legal channels.
The company’s position places the dispute into a contested procedural phase, with the interim measure remaining in force unless modified or overturned through appeal. Meta’s appeal plans do not suspend the AGCM investigation, which continues independently of any court review of the interim order.
What happens next
The AGCM investigation will continue, with the authority examining whether the WhatsApp terms at issue constitute an abuse of dominance under applicable competition law. The authority has not set out a public timetable for concluding the probe, and the interim suspension will remain in place while the inquiry proceeds. In parallel, competition regulators at the European Commission are conducting a separate investigation involving Meta. That parallel probe is ongoing alongside the Italian proceedings. The existence of concurrent scrutiny at national and
European levels mean Meta faces continued regulatory review over the same general area of conduct while the Italian case advances. The Italian order is confined to the national proceeding and does not determine the outcome of the European Commission’s investigation. Both processes remain active, with AGCM maintaining its interim suspension pending its final assessment and the European Commission continuing its own competition review.
