Meta-owned WhatsApp could soon find itself under increased regulatory oversight in the European Union (EU) following a surge in user engagement, particularly through its Channels feature. This development aligns with the stringent requirements of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to hold large online platforms accountable for content moderation, misinformation, and user safety.
According to Meta’s recent filing on February 14, WhatsApp Channels averaged approximately 46.8 million monthly active users in the latter half of 2024. This growth brings WhatsApp closer to being designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the DSA. The designation applies to platforms with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU, subjecting them to stricter compliance requirements related to transparency, content moderation, and user protection.
WhatsApp’s Channels feature, introduced in 2023, allows users to follow news outlets, celebrities, and organizations in a format similar to social media feeds. The feature has expanded rapidly, with many public figures and media outlets utilizing it for direct communication with audiences. This increased influence could make WhatsApp fall under the category of regulated digital intermediaries, requiring it to implement additional measures against disinformation and harmful content.
If WhatsApp is officially classified as a VLOP, the platform will need to adhere to a range of new compliance obligations, including:
- Stronger content moderation: WhatsApp will be required to put in place systems for detecting and removing illegal or harmful content.
- Enhanced transparency: Meta will need to provide detailed reports on how WhatsApp manages content, including algorithmic decision-making processes.
- Risk management obligations: The platform must assess and mitigate risks associated with the spread of disinformation or other harmful content.
- Independent audits: WhatsApp may be required to undergo annual external audits to evaluate compliance with the DSA.
While Meta has yet to confirm how it will address these potential regulatory changes, the company has previously contested strict EU classifications on some of its services. However, given that the DSA is designed to tackle online misinformation, consumer protection, and digital safety, WhatsApp’s evolving role as an information-sharing platform makes stricter oversight likely.
As EU regulators continue to monitor digital platforms, WhatsApp’s inclusion in the VLOP tier could signal broader regulatory action for private messaging services with public content-sharing features.
