WhatsApp, the popular messaging service owned by Meta Platforms, is set to face tougher regulations in the European Union as part of the bloc’s expanding digital oversight. The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, plans to classify WhatsApp’s open channels as a “Very Large Online Platform” under the Digital Services Act (DSA), according to people familiar with the matter.
This classification will require WhatsApp to follow stricter rules on transparency and content moderation, similar to those already applied to Facebook and Instagram. The new rules will cover open channels that share public updates from news groups or public figures, making them more like traditional social media platforms.
The European Commission has reportedly sent a letter to Meta notifying the company of the upcoming designation, though no official announcement date has been confirmed. Under the DSA, any online platform with more than 45 million active monthly users in Europe falls under the “very large” category, a threshold that includes most major tech companies.
The move is expected to increase regulatory tension between the EU and the United States. Former US President Donald Trump has previously criticized Europe’s strict technology rules, claiming they unfairly target American companies and even threatening trade tariffs in response to EU fines against US tech firms.
WhatsApp revealed in February that its open channels had reached an average of about 46.8 million users across Europe by the end of 2024, placing it above the DSA’s user limit. However, the new designation will not apply to private chats or personal messaging, as the DSA does not regulate private communications.
As a designated “Very Large Online Platform,” WhatsApp will need to conduct risk assessments on the spread of harmful or illegal content and develop clear strategies to reduce those risks. WhatsApp will also be required to publish user statistics every six months, a rule that previously led Apple to disclose its European App Store data.
Violations of the DSA can lead to penalties of up to 6 percent of a company’s total global revenue. A representative for the European Commission said the institution “cannot confirm the timeline for a potential future designation.” Meta has not yet commented on the matter.
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