Italian minister says country's ban on ChatGPT is excessive

Matteo Salvini, leader of the ruling coalition League party, criticised a decision by the government’s Data Protection Authority to temporarily ban ChatGPT, as excessive

Italy's deputy prime minister on Sunday criticised a decision by the government's Data Protection Authority to temporarily ban chatbot ChatGPT, saying the block over privacy concerns seemed excessive.

Microsoft-backed OpenAI took ChatGPT offline in Italy on Friday after the national data agency raised concerns over possible privacy violations and for failing to verify that users were aged 13 or above, as it had requested.

The move by the agency, which is independent from the government, made Italy the first Western country to take action against a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence.

"I find the decision of the Privacy Watchdog that forced #ChatGPT to prevent access from Italy disproportionate," Matteo Salvini, who is leader of the ruling coalition League party, wrote on Instagram.

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Salvini, who also serves as transport minister, said the regulator's move was "hypocritical" and that common sense was needed as "privacy issues concern practically all online services".

Italy's Data Protection Authority declined to comment on Salvini's post.