Italian Competition Authority Investigates Activision Blizzard's Promotions and Parental Controls

Core Viewpoint - The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has initiated two investigations into Activision Blizzard, a Microsoft-owned gaming company, for allegedly engaging in misleading and aggressive practices related to its games, particularly "Diablo Immortal" and "Call of Duty Mobile" [1][2]. Investigation Focus - The investigations are centered on whether Activision Blizzard's practices around the aforementioned games violate Italy's consumer protection rules [2]. - The AGCM's press release indicates that the games are marketed as free but include in-game purchases, raising concerns about user interface designs that may be deceptive [3]. User Engagement and Spending - AGCM highlighted that the user interface design includes repeated prompts encouraging users to engage more frequently with the game, potentially leading to significant spending without full awareness of the costs involved [4]. - The regulator noted that these practices could particularly influence minors, leading them to spend amounts that exceed what is necessary for game progression [4]. Parental Controls and Data Processing - The investigations also examine the parental control features that default to a lower level of protection for minors regarding in-game purchases, playtime, and interactions with other players [5]. - AGCM is assessing how the games obtain consent for personal data processing, whether players receive adequate information about their contractual rights, and the company's unilateral ability to block gaming accounts, which can result in the loss of purchased digital content [6].