Messaging app WhatsApp rounds the cape of the number of users to get stricter rules imposed under DSA legislation.
WhatsApp recently became a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) according to the European Commission’s definition. This is not a compliment, as companies with this status are subject to stricter rules in DSA legislation. This makes WhatsApp the third member of the Meta family to be designated a VLOP, after Facebook and Instagram previously received that honor.
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VLOP
One of the criteria used by the European Commission is the number of users in the European Union. Meta reported on Feb. 14 that WhatsApp has 46.8 million active European users. Any platform with more than 45 million active users is a VLOP, according to the DSA. “WhatsApp has published user numbers above the threshold to qualify as a VLOP under the DSA,” a Commission spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg.
WhatsApp specifically looked at the Channels feature that was introduced in 2023 and functions more like a classic social medium like Facebook. Channels allows companies or famous people to send out news and updates to a large group of followers. According to the most recent figures, the messaging app has nearly three billion users worldwide, making it by far the largest messaging platform.
Great responsibility
Now that WhatsApp may call itself a VLOP, the platform will have more responsibility imposed on it. The DSA imposes obligations on so-called VLOPs around moderating content. Responsibility is placed on companies to keep users in line and prevent platforms from becoming a sanctuary for disinformation and hate speech. Among other things, users must be given the ability to report harmful content.
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The legislation also limits what technology companies can do with users’ data around ads. They must be transparent to users about how their data is used for personalized ads and provide an easy-to-find opt-out button. Failing to meet those obligations can result in fines of up to six percent of annual revenue. WhatsApp updated its privacy policy on Feb. 16 to bring it in line with DSA rules.
The DSA is straining the relationship between the European Union and the United States. The new occupants of the White House in Washington see regulation as a form of bullying against American companies. For now, Europe is holding firm, but in the coming years it will face a dilemma over whether to regulate more or less.