The European Commission plans to designate WhatsApp's open channels as a "very large online platform" under the Digital Services Act, which will require adherence to high content moderation standards. This decision applies to channels that are open news feeds and have over 45 million users in Europe, without affecting personal messages.
Meta Platforms Inc.'s WhatsApp messenger will face stricter content moderation rules under European Union regulations, as the bloc tightens its grip on social media, Bloomberg reports, writes UNN.
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The EU's executive body, the European Commission, plans to declare WhatsApp's open channels a "very large online platform" under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This means they must meet high standards of content moderation and transparency, according to sources familiar with the matter. Channels are open news feeds associated with news organizations or public figures, and are comparable to social media.
According to sources, the European Commission has sent a letter to Meta informing it of the upcoming status designation. There is currently no set date for a public announcement. This status already applies to Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram.
Under the law, platforms with more than 45 million monthly users in Europe acquire this status, meaning it covers most large tech companies. Amazon Inc. has challenged this in court.
The move threatens to escalate tensions between the EU and US President Donald Trump, who has called strict tech regulation unfair and targeting American companies, the publication notes. Trump previously threatened to impose tariffs in response to EU fines against American tech companies.
WhatsApp's inclusion on the list comes after the company reported in February that the average number of channels was approximately 46.8 million as of the end of 2024.
The DSA does not regulate private messages, and therefore this status will not affect WhatsApp's core messaging function.
The largest online platforms are required to conduct risk assessments for the spread of illegal or harmful content and develop a strategy to mitigate those risks. They are required to disclose user numbers every six months – a requirement that forced Apple Inc. to disclose data for the European App Store. Penalties under the DSA can be up to 6% of a company's annual global sales.
A European Commission spokesperson stated that the European Commission "cannot confirm the timing of a possible future listing."
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