Meta exempts Italy from WhatsApp AI chatbot restrictions after regulator steps in

Meta Platforms has temporarily excluded Italy from new WhatsApp rules that restrict access for third-party AI chatbots, following an order from the country’s antitrust regulator that raised concerns over potential abuse of market power.

According to a notice sent by Meta to AI developers and reported by Reuters, phone numbers registered with Italy’s country code will not be subject to WhatsApp’s updated terms of service, which are due to take effect on January 15. The exemption has been introduced to comply with an interim measure issued by Italy’s competition authority, AGCM, which last month told Meta to pause its proposed changes while an investigation is under way.

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The watchdog is examining whether Meta’s plan to limit or block rival AI chatbots from operating on WhatsApp unfairly favours its own service, Meta AI, which was integrated into the messaging platform last year. The European Commission is also investigating whether the company has breached competition rules by restricting rivals’ access to the popular messaging app, although it has not yet issued any temporary order.

Under the new policy, Meta had intended to curb how external AI tools interact with WhatsApp, a move that could potentially give Meta AI a stronger position by reducing competition from other chatbot providers. Meta has previously argued that the growing number of AI services places a heavy load on systems that were not designed for such use.

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The limited Italian exemption has drawn criticism from some AI companies. The Interaction Company of California, which runs the AI assistant Poke.com and filed complaints with both Italian and EU regulators, said Meta should have paused the policy across all markets rather than applying a country-specific carve-out.

Meta declined to comment on the latest changes, referring instead to an earlier statement on the technical strain created by AI chatbots. Italy’s antitrust authority also declined to comment while its investigation continues.

The outcome of both the Italian and European probes could have wider implications for how large technology platforms integrate their own AI products while controlling access for competing services.