WhatsApp may face tougher EU scrutiny under Digital Services Act; here’s why | Technology News
WhatsApp could be subject to more stringent rules under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) after the instant messaging platform reported an increase in its user base.
According to Meta’s recent filing on February 14, WhatsApp Channels averaged about 46.8 million monthly average users in the second half of 2024. These Channels appear as feeds on the platform, with most of them belonging to news outlets and public figures.
Under the DSA, Channels are comparable to a social network and Very Large Online Platforms are defined as those platforms whose monthly active users surpass 45 million. Platforms that cross this threshold are likely to face stricter obligations under the law.
“WhatsApp has published user numbers above the threshold for designation as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
This development comes at a time when the Commission, which is the executive arm of the EU, has been looking to rein in the dominance of US-based big tech companies by implementing various legislations. In response, the new Trump administration has strongly criticised EU officials for efforts to regulate online speech.
The European Commission will still need to formally rule on the matter before WhatsApp becomes included in the higher tier of regulated platforms.
What is the Digital Services Act?
The European Parliament passed the DSA in July 2022 and it became applicable to all online intermediary platforms from February 2024 onwards. Under the DSA, various online players are classified into four categories, namely: Intermediary services, hosting services, online platforms, and Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs).
Story continues below this ad
Several tech giants such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Amazon, Google Maps, Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Booking.com, Wikipedia, etc, have been designated as VLOPs since they have more than 45 million users.
VLOPs must carry out risk assessments on the spread of illegal or harmful content and put in place a mitigation strategy, among other legal obligations. If found to be in non-compliance, platforms can face penalties up to six per cent of their annual global sales, as per the DSA.
