TL;DR
Meta has exempted users in Italy and Brazil from a new restriction that blocked third-party large language models from using the WhatsApp Business Solution. The reversal follows intervention by competition authorities in both countries and an ongoing EU probe that could widen the exemption.
What happened
In October, Meta revised the WhatsApp Business Solution Terms to bar providers of large language models and similar AI platforms from using the Business API when those models are the primary functionality offered through WhatsApp. The restriction, which excludes LLM use for customer-support scenarios, went into effect today. After regulatory action, Meta confirmed it will not enforce the ban for accounts registered with Italian or Brazilian phone numbers. Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) investigated and ordered Meta to suspend the new terms late last year, finding the change risks harming competition in the AI chatbot market. Brazil’s competition watchdog (CADE) imposed a preventive measure and opened an administrative inquiry that likewise led Meta to exclude Brazil from the prohibition. An EU-level investigation is also underway and could determine whether the exemption is extended beyond Italy and Brazil.
Why it matters
- Regulatory pushback forced Meta to carve out country-specific exceptions, highlighting competition concerns around platform control of AI access.
- Users in Italy and Brazil retain the option to interact with third-party LLMs through WhatsApp, preserving convenience and existing usage patterns.
- Mobile carriers in some countries, including Brazil, often exempt WhatsApp from data caps, making the platform a more attractive gateway for third-party LLM access.
- An EU investigation could influence whether similar carve-outs will apply across additional member states, shaping cross-border access for AI providers.
Key facts
- Meta announced the prohibition on third-party LLM access via the WhatsApp Business Solution in October.
- The policy blocks AI providers from using the Business Solution when generative AI or LLMs are the primary functionality offered through WhatsApp.
- The restriction does not apply to LLM-based interactions used for customer support; it targets services replacing vendors’ own chatbot interfaces.
- Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) found the move may be anticompetitive and ordered Meta to suspend the terms for Italy in late December.
- Brazil’s competition regulator (CADE) issued a preventive measure and opened an administrative inquiry, prompting Meta to exempt Brazil from the ban.
- Meta’s updated Business Solution Terms explicitly allow AI providers to make LLM technologies available to users with Italian or Brazilian phone numbers.
- Companies named as affected in reporting include OpenAI and Perplexity, which had been using WhatsApp as an interface to their chat services.
- An EU-level probe is ongoing and could affect whether the exemption is expanded beyond Italy and Brazil.
What to watch next
- Outcome and timeline of the European Commission’s investigation into WhatsApp’s Business Solution Terms — not confirmed in the source.
- CADE’s administrative inquiry in Brazil and whether it leads to a permanent block on the ban or other remedies.
- Any further country-specific decisions by competition authorities that might prompt Meta to broaden the exemption — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Large language model (LLM): A type of artificial intelligence trained on large text datasets to generate or analyze human-like language, used in chatbots and assistants.
- WhatsApp Business Solution (Business API): A set of tools and terms that let companies integrate messaging features and automated services into WhatsApp for customer interactions and other business uses.
- Competition authority (watchdog): A government agency that investigates and enforces rules to prevent anticompetitive behavior and protect market contestability.
- Preventive measure: A temporary action taken by a regulator to halt or limit conduct while an investigation is ongoing.
Reader FAQ
Can users in Italy and Brazil still use WhatsApp to chat with ChatGPT or other LLMs?
Yes. Meta confirmed the ban won’t apply to users with Italian or Brazilian phone numbers, so third-party LLMs can remain available on WhatsApp in those countries.
Does the restriction still allow AI for customer support?
Yes. The policy excludes LLM-based customer-support scenarios and targets third-party services using WhatsApp as a primary chatbot interface.
Will the ban be lifted in the rest of the EU or globally?
Not confirmed in the source.
Which regulators intervened to prompt the exemptions?
Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) and Brazil’s competition watchdog (CADE) took measures that led Meta to exclude those countries from the restriction.
Apple Notes could get a powerful new advantage in iOS 26.4, per report Ryan Christoffel Jan 14 2026 AD WHATSAPP Meta reverses WhatsApp’s third-party chatbot ban in Italy and Brazil…
Sources
- Meta reverses WhatsApp’s third-party chatbot ban in Italy and Brazil
- Italy halts Meta's WhatsApp AI chatbot ban: Fair competition or platform …
- Brazil orders Meta to suspend policy banning third-party AI …
- Meta to exclude Italy from rival chatbot ban on WhatsApp
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