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EU Forces WhatsApp Channels to Adhere to Digital Services Act Rules
(MENAFN) The European Commission has formally classified WhatsApp Channels as a "very large online platform" subject to the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), officials revealed Monday.
During a Brussels press briefing following the EU affairs ministerial session, Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, clarified that the classification targets WhatsApp Channels—the broadcasting tool enabling users to distribute information, updates, and announcements to mass audiences.
Platforms earn "very large" status upon reaching a minimum of 45 million EU-based users. WhatsApp Channels crossed this regulatory benchmark during the latter half of 2024, accumulating over 46 million monthly active users.
"It's therefore already subject to general DSA obligations that online platforms in the EU must respect," she said.
This designation compels WhatsApp Channels to adhere to DSA rules encompassing risk evaluations, content oversight protocols, and mandatory reporting procedures.
Corporations failing to meet compliance standards face potential penalties reaching up to 6% of worldwide revenue.
Virkkunen stressed that WhatsApp's private person-to-person messaging functionality falls outside DSA regulatory jurisdiction.
On Friday, the EU Commission separately disclosed a DSA-based probe into Grok, the artificial intelligence system operated by US social platform X, concerning its alleged capacity to produce fabricated explicit imagery.
Last December, the commission levied a €120 million ($142 million) sanction against X for violating DSA transparency mandates—representing the inaugural penalty issued under the new regulatory framework.
During a Brussels press briefing following the EU affairs ministerial session, Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, clarified that the classification targets WhatsApp Channels—the broadcasting tool enabling users to distribute information, updates, and announcements to mass audiences.
Platforms earn "very large" status upon reaching a minimum of 45 million EU-based users. WhatsApp Channels crossed this regulatory benchmark during the latter half of 2024, accumulating over 46 million monthly active users.
"It's therefore already subject to general DSA obligations that online platforms in the EU must respect," she said.
This designation compels WhatsApp Channels to adhere to DSA rules encompassing risk evaluations, content oversight protocols, and mandatory reporting procedures.
Corporations failing to meet compliance standards face potential penalties reaching up to 6% of worldwide revenue.
Virkkunen stressed that WhatsApp's private person-to-person messaging functionality falls outside DSA regulatory jurisdiction.
On Friday, the EU Commission separately disclosed a DSA-based probe into Grok, the artificial intelligence system operated by US social platform X, concerning its alleged capacity to produce fabricated explicit imagery.
Last December, the commission levied a €120 million ($142 million) sanction against X for violating DSA transparency mandates—representing the inaugural penalty issued under the new regulatory framework.
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