The European Commission is reportedly considering designating WhatsApp as a ‘very large online platform’ (‘VLOP’) in the coming months. When questioned on Friday 9 January, the institution pointed out that, although the messaging platform did exceed the required threshold of users to be potentially designated, with its 46.8 million monthly active users in the EU, some technical details were still outstanding (see EUROPE 13584/29).
“We need to verify and distinguish between the actual number of users who use private messaging, which is not subject to the DSA, and those who use open channels that function more like a social networking platform and fall within the scope of the regulation”, explained Thomas Regnier, spokesman for the institution.
If designated, WhatsApp would become the first instant messaging application to be subject to the strictest rules of the Digital Services Act.
The messaging platform is owned by Meta, whose other two networks, Instagram and Facebook, are already affected by the DSA. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)