Italy raids Meta in probe over AI rollout without user consent

Italian authorities have raided the Italian offices of tech giant Meta as part of their formal investigation into the integration of its AI feature within the WhatsApp messaging platform.

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) argues that Meta may have abused its dominant market position by automatically enabling the AI function without first obtaining users’ explicit consent, Caliber.Az reports citing the body's press statement, as published by Euractiv.

AGCM officials entered the office premises on July 29, supported by antitrust experts from Italy’s Financial Police. The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) is closely collaborating with AGCM in the ongoing inquiry, a Commission spokesperson confirmed.

In response, a Meta spokesperson said the company is “fully cooperating with the Italian Competition Authority.” In an email to Euractiv, the spokesperson added: “Offering free access to our AI features in WhatsApp gives millions of Italians the choice to use AI in a place they already know.”

While Meta maintains that its AI tool is entirely optional, AGCM argues otherwise. The watchdog claims that since March 2025, Meta has automatically integrated its AI functionality into WhatsApp “without any prior request or consent from users,” effectively bundling the new feature with the messaging service.

According to the article, Meta’s AI rollout has already drawn regulatory attention across Europe. In Ireland, the company delayed launching the feature following concerns raised by the national data protection authority regarding how user data would be processed.

Similarly, Germany’s data watchdog in Hamburg launched an investigation into Meta’s handling of personal data related to its AI services. That probe was ultimately dropped in May, but scrutiny across the EU remains high as regulators weigh potential violations of competition and privacy laws.

By Nazrin Sadigova