Popular texting platform WhatsApp could soon see more scrutiny in the EU, thanks to a rise in users found on its different open channels.
The app that is owned by Meta shared on Friday that all the feeds were open for different news sources, and public figures, and averaged 46.8M people in the EU during the start of 2024. The rise in users means the app’s open channels now qualify as a very large online app or VLOP under the region’s Digital Services Act.
The latest DSA makes use of labels for very large online apps or search engines when the platform has more than 45M users every month across the region. Such designations enable the European Commission to have more regulatory power related to different forms of transparency on ads. The same goes for moderating content, conducting independent audits, and sharing information with the European Union. Therefore, all those apps need to asses any risks of damage and illegal material.
Meta is already under scrutiny due to its designation of being a VLOP while it might not be too happy about it. Other leading tech giants categorized under the same label are Amazon, Google, ByteDance, and others. As per the EC, they’ve got a major task ahead of them which would entail giving WhatsApp this designation or not.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: South Korea Confirms DeepSeek Was Banned After It Sent User Data To ByteDance
The app that is owned by Meta shared on Friday that all the feeds were open for different news sources, and public figures, and averaged 46.8M people in the EU during the start of 2024. The rise in users means the app’s open channels now qualify as a very large online app or VLOP under the region’s Digital Services Act.
The latest DSA makes use of labels for very large online apps or search engines when the platform has more than 45M users every month across the region. Such designations enable the European Commission to have more regulatory power related to different forms of transparency on ads. The same goes for moderating content, conducting independent audits, and sharing information with the European Union. Therefore, all those apps need to asses any risks of damage and illegal material.
Meta is already under scrutiny due to its designation of being a VLOP while it might not be too happy about it. Other leading tech giants categorized under the same label are Amazon, Google, ByteDance, and others. As per the EC, they’ve got a major task ahead of them which would entail giving WhatsApp this designation or not.
Read next: South Korea Confirms DeepSeek Was Banned After It Sent User Data To ByteDance
