Italy Agrees to Lift ChatGPT Ban Under Strict Data Protection Rules
Italy's data protection regulator plans to lift its ban on ChatGPT by the end of April, provided OpenAI implements new transparency and age verification measures.
Italy’s privacy regulator announces that it will lift its recent ban on OpenAI’s ChatGPT service if the company meets a strict set of data protection requirements by April 30. The Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali (GPDP) originally blocks the AI chatbot in late March, citing unlawful data collection for algorithm training and a lack of age verification to protect young children.
To restore access for Italian users, OpenAI must publish a detailed notice explaining its data processing logic and the rights of both users and non-users. New users in Italy must view this transparency notice and confirm they are over 18, or provide parental consent if they are between 13 and 18 years old, before using the service.
The regulator also forces OpenAI to abandon its reliance on contractual performance as a legal basis for processing personal data, requiring the company to use consent or legitimate interest instead to comply with EU GDPR standards. Additionally, OpenAI must implement a robust age-gating system by September 30 to ensure younger children cannot access inappropriate AI-generated content.