WhatsApp Reaches ‘Very Large Platform’ Status; Faces European Commission’s Tech Rules
It is above the 45-million-user threshold under the Digital Services Act
In the landmark tech rules set by the European Commission of the European Union (EU), the Meta Platforms unit, WhatsApp is expected to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content online.
Recently, the messaging platform stated having 46.8 million average monthly active users in the 27-country EU in six months (up to December 2024), above the 45-million-user threshold set out in the Digital Services Act (DSA).
However, Thomas Regnier, the EU spokesperson stated, “We can confirm that WhatsApp has published user numbers above the threshold for designation as a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ under the Digital Services Act.”
After receiving the designation, a platform has four months to comply with the DSA norms, including identifying and assessing system risks to illegal content, fundamental rights, public security and protection of minors.
The DSA’s fines for violations can reach 6 percent of a company’s global annual turnover. Meta’s Instagram and Facebook are classified as ‘very large online platforms’.
Meanwhile, enlisting the support of US President Donald Trump, Meta’s Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and its chief lobbyist Joel Kaplan criticized the EU tech rules.