WhatsApp may be recognized as a very large online platform: what does it mean?
In the European Union, WhatsApp may fall under the Digital Services Act (DSA), reports Reuters. The reason is the growing popularity of the WhatsApp Channels feature, which allows channel owners to publish messages for an unlimited number of subscribers.
What is known
For the first half of 2025, the average monthly audience of WhatsApp Channels in the EU was 51.7 million users. This exceeds the threshold of 45 million, after which the service can be recognized as a "very large online platform" (VLOP). Such a status implies compliance with additional requirements regarding transparency, content moderation, and cooperation with regulators.
Meta has not yet provided an official comment on the situation. Previously, in October 2025, the EU had already accused the company of violating the DSA regarding complaint processes for illegal content on Facebook and Instagram. Also, a court in the Netherlands obliged the company to change the way recommendations are displayed in feeds to increase user choice autonomy.
The WhatsApp Channels feature allows the creation of one-way channels that operate similarly to other Meta social networking platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook.
Source: Reuters
