WhatsApp exceeds EU threshold – Stricter regulation looms
The messenger WhatsApp is threatened with classification as a Very Large Online Platform. This is due to the number of WhatsApp channel users.
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According to its statements, the messenger WhatsApp has exceeded a threshold in terms of its number of users that could make it subject to stricter regulation by the EU in the future. As the US financial news agency Bloomberg reports, the messenger, which belongs to Meta, has exceeded 45 million monthly active users on its channels. In this case, the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) provides for classification as a "Very Large Only Platform" (VLOP). WhatsApp dutifully reported the excess to the EU Commission itself.
Services that fall under this classification must meet stricter requirements. These include regular risk assessments on the distribution of harmful and illegal content. Companies must also present and implement a risk minimization strategy. Violations of the DSA rules can result in severe fines of up to 6 percent of annual global turnover.
EU still has to decide
WhatsApp channels have been available in Germany since 2023. They allow well-known people, companies or associations to reach their members and followers. This makes this part of the messenger service similar to social media channels.
Whether WhatsApp will actually be classified as a very large online platform has yet to be decided and officially determined by the EU Commission. The crossing of the user threshold comes at a time of growing tensions between the USA, home to many large social media platforms, and the European Union. Meta recently held out the prospect of appealing to the new US President Donald Trump in the event of punishment by the EU. The latter had previously criticized the EU's regulation in harsh terms.
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Who is already VLOP
So far, companies such as Google (Play Store, Maps, YouTube), Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Microsoft (Linkedin), Booking and trading platforms such as Amazon or Temu as well as porn portals have been classified as VLOPs by the EU. Wikipedia is also on the list. Some companies such as Amazon, Pornhub and Zalando are defending themselves against the classification with lawsuits.
(mki)
