Meta Platforms(US:META) Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-07-30 09:13Group 1 - The Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) has launched an antitrust investigation against Meta Platforms, accusing the company of abusing its market dominance by integrating its AI tool, Meta AI, into WhatsApp without explicit user consent, potentially violating EU competition rules [1][2] - AGCM claims that the integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp, which has over 2 billion users, may constitute "bundling" practices that unfairly restrict competition and lock consumers into Meta's ecosystem [1][2] - Meta has responded by stating that the integration of AI features adheres to user choice principles and aims to lower the barrier for AI access for the public, although AGCM has raised concerns about the transparency of user authorization mechanisms [2] Group 2 - The investigation is part of a broader trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on tech giants, with Meta facing previous antitrust challenges in Italy, including a case in April 2023 regarding music copyright negotiations [2][3] - The AGCM's actions are closely coordinated with the European Commission, indicating a potential for cross-regional enforcement actions against major tech companies [3] - This investigation occurs during a critical period of heightened digital market regulation in the EU, emphasizing the importance of maintaining competition within the AI ecosystem [2][3]