ROME, July 18 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust agency has

launched an investigation into online search giant Google

and its parent company Alphabet over alleged unfair

commercial practices, the regulator said on Thursday.

The request Google sends to its users for consent to link to

its services "could constitute misleading and aggressive

commercial practice", the watchdog said in a statement, adding

that the information it provides is "incomplete and misleading."

Google was not immediately available for comment.