05:44 AM EDT, 07/30/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates to add Meta's response in the third paragraph.)

Meta Platforms ( META ) is under investigation by Italy's AGCM antitrust authority over allegations that it abused its market dominance by integrating its Meta AI assistant into WhatsApp without proper user consent, AGCM said Wednesday.

The social media giant may have violated European Union competition rules as the move has a risk that users may be "locked-in" or functionally dependent on Meta AI and stifle competition by "imposing" the availability of two separate services, the watchdog said.

Meta is "fully cooperating" with the Italian competition authority, a company spokesperson told MT Newswires in an e-mailed statement.