WhatsApp has met the user threshold specified in key EU technology regulations, as reported by Meta Platforms, the company that owns it. This implies that WhatsApp must intensify efforts to address online illegal and harmful content.
According to a filing on February 14, WhatsApp reported approximately 46.8 million monthly active users on its messaging platform within the 27-member European Union during the six-month period up to December 2024, surpassing the 45-million-user benchmark set by the Digital Services Act (DSA).
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier confirmed this development in an email on Wednesday, stating, "We can indeed confirm that WhatsApp has published user numbers above the threshold for designation as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act."
Upon receiving this designation, platforms are given four months to adhere to DSA requirements, which involve identifying and evaluating risks associated with illegal content, safeguarding fundamental rights, public security, and protecting minors.
Companies can face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue for violating DSA regulations. Meta's Instagram and Facebook have already been classified as very large online platforms.
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