WhatsApp faces heightened regulatory scrutiny in Europe

The European Commission has designated WhatsApp as a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, citing the growth of the app’s Channels feature to more than 45 million users in the EU.

The designation applies specifically to WhatsApp Channels, a feature that allows users and organisations to broadcast updates and announcements to large audiences. The Commission said the feature meets the legal definition of an online platform under the DSA and is therefore subject to enhanced regulatory obligations.

The platform’s core private messaging service, which includes one-to-one and group messaging, voice and video calls, and file sharing, remains excluded from the scope of the Digital Services Act.

“WhatsApp is a hybrid service comprising features of private messaging and of an online platform,” the Commission said in a statement, adding that only Channels falls under the DSA’s platform rules.

As a result of the designation, Meta, which owns WhatsApp, has four months, until mid-May 2026, to comply with additional requirements that apply to very large online platforms. These include assessing and mitigating systemic risks related to illegal content, electoral interference, privacy, and potential impacts on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.

The Commission will directly oversee the platform’s compliance with the law, working alongside Ireland’s digital regulator, Coimisiún na Meán.

The Digital Services Act introduced the VLOP classification in 2022 for services with at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU. Platforms given the designation are required to provide more detailed reporting on content moderation, user numbers, and risk management practices.