Italy’s antitrust authority has reportedly initiated an investigation into Meta regarding allegations of possible monopoly abuse related to the installation of its AI tool on WhatsApp. This move raises questions about the legitimacy of how Meta introduced its AI features to WhatsApp users without explicitly seeking their consent. The authority expressed concerns that this could harm competition by implicitly forcing users to use additional services.

In response, Meta defended its actions, stating that providing free access to AI tools within a familiar platform offers users a beneficial choice. However, critics argue that the mandatory nature of the AI features undermines the concept of choice, as users cannot fully disable them.

It is hoped that this investigation will spark broader discussions within the EU on the necessity of allowing users to deactivate AI functionalities in messaging applications, and any resulting policies in Europe could influence global practices.