The European Commission is moving forward with plans to designate WhatsApp’s public Channels feature as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), based on its substantial user base and public content distribution capabilities. This classification will subject Channels to enhanced content moderation requirements, greater transparency obligations, and stricter oversight to address potential risks like the spread of harmful or illegal information, while leaving the app’s core private messaging functions unregulated.
The DSA, which fully entered into force for large platforms in August 2023, aims to create a safer online environment by holding major digital services accountable for systemic issues such as disinformation, hate speech, and fraud. For WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms Inc., this designation highlights how even messaging apps with broadcast elements are increasingly treated like social media platforms under EU law. Channels, introduced globally in September 2023, enable one-way communication from channels run by public figures, news outlets, or organizations to followers, resembling features on platforms like Twitter or Instagram.
This development follows private notifications from the Commission to Meta, though no public announcement timeline has been confirmed. Once designated, WhatsApp will have four months to achieve full compliance, aligning it with 25 other VLOPs including TikTok, YouTube, and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. The focus on Channels underscores the EU’s strategy to regulate public-facing tools that amplify content at scale, without encroaching on encrypted personal chats protected by privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Rapid Growth of WhatsApp Channels Pushes It Over EU User Threshold
WhatsApp’s Channels feature has seen explosive growth in Europe, averaging 46.8 million monthly active users in the second half of 2024, exceeding the DSA’s key threshold of 45 million users for VLOP status. This represents a notable increase from 39.7 million users in the first half of 2024 and 31 million in the latter half of 2023, driven by adoption among news organizations, celebrities, and businesses for real-time updates on events, announcements, and promotions.
The Commission independently verifies these self-reported figures, which platforms like WhatsApp must disclose every six months under DSA rules. In a February 2025 transparency filing, Meta detailed this data, prompting the regulatory review. Globally, WhatsApp boasts over 2 billion users, but the EU threshold is calculated based on monthly active users within the bloc, focusing on services that could pose widespread risks to European citizens.
Unlike traditional social networks, Channels emphasize broadcast-style content without direct user interactions like comments or shares, yet regulators view them as comparable due to their potential to disseminate information virally. This growth trajectory mirrors the platform’s overall expansion, with Channels now integral to how users access public updates, from sports scores to political news, making the VLOP label a logical step in the EU’s evolving digital oversight framework.
Detailed Obligations Imposed by VLOP Designation on WhatsApp Channels
Upon formal VLOP designation, WhatsApp’s Channels will face a comprehensive set of DSA-mandated responsibilities designed to mitigate systemic risks and enhance user protections. Platforms must conduct thorough risk assessments at least annually, evaluating threats such as the dissemination of illegal content, including hate speech, terrorist propaganda, child exploitation material, or counterfeit goods, and develop targeted mitigation strategies like improved algorithms for content detection and removal.
Key requirements include establishing dedicated internal teams for compliance, undergoing independent third-party audits, and cooperating with EU authorities by sharing relevant data on platform operations. WhatsApp will need to implement user-friendly reporting tools within the app, allowing individuals to flag suspicious content swiftly, followed by rapid responses—typically within 24 hours for urgent cases—to remove or restrict access. Users affected by moderation decisions must also have clear appeal processes, ensuring fairness and transparency in enforcement.
Transparency extends to algorithmic decision-making, where VLOPs must disclose how content is recommended or prioritized, including options for users to opt out of profiling-based suggestions. Advertising practices will come under tighter scrutiny, with bans on targeted ads based on sensitive data like health, politics, or location, and stricter limits on ads directed at minors. Additionally, WhatsApp must maintain a public repository of all ads run on Channels, detailing targeting criteria and duration, to prevent deceptive practices.
In preparation, WhatsApp updated its privacy policy in February 2025 to outline new data handling protocols, such as enhanced controls over personal information used for moderation or risk analysis. This aligns with broader DSA goals to empower users with greater data sovereignty, including verifiable parental consent for minors and tools to port data across services. Non-compliance could result in investigations by the Commission, with penalties up to 6% of global annual revenue—potentially billions for Meta—escalating to 10% for repeated violations.
Meta’s experience with Facebook and Instagram, both VLOPs since 2023, provides a blueprint; these platforms have already implemented similar measures, including algorithmic transparency reports and risk mitigation plans submitted to regulators. For WhatsApp, the designation extends to its 26th position on the VLOP list, signaling the EU’s intent to cover hybrid services that blend messaging with public broadcasting.
Geopolitical Tensions and Broader Context of EU Tech Regulation
The VLOP status for WhatsApp’s Channels could exacerbate ongoing frictions between the European Union and the United States, particularly under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized EU tech regulations as protectionist measures unfairly targeting American companies. Trump has threatened retaliatory tariffs on European goods in response to DSA and Digital Markets Act (DMA) fines against U.S. firms, viewing them as barriers to innovation and economic dominance.
This regulatory push reflects the EU’s proactive stance on digital sovereignty, with the DSA complementing the DMA to foster competition and safety. While Telegram, with under 45 million EU users, escapes VLOP scrutiny for now, the focus on WhatsApp underscores concerns over messaging apps’ role in public discourse. Channels have been used for legitimate purposes like emergency alerts and community updates, but also pose risks for misinformation during elections or crises.
Amid these changes, scam threats on WhatsApp remain a pressing issue; Binance CEO Richard Teng highlighted in November 2025 how fraudsters impersonate executives via the app to phish for crypto details, emphasizing the need for robust moderation. The DSA’s emphasis on fraud prevention aligns with this, requiring platforms to monitor for deceptive schemes and protect vulnerable users.
WhatsApp’s Adaptation to EU Rules and Future Interoperability
Beyond the DSA, WhatsApp is gearing up for DMA compliance, which mandates interoperability with rival messaging services to break down silos and promote user choice. By early 2026, Meta plans to enable cross-app communication, allowing WhatsApp users to exchange messages with those on iMessage, Telegram, or Signal directly from their inbox, without needing multiple apps. This “third-party chat” feature will use end-to-end encryption where possible, but requires careful implementation to maintain privacy standards.
These updates build on WhatsApp’s February 2025 policy revisions, which clarified data practices for regulatory alignment and introduced opt-out options for data sharing across Meta services. The company has committed to investing in AI-driven moderation tools to detect harms proactively, drawing from lessons learned on Facebook. Overall, the VLOP designation positions WhatsApp as a more accountable player in Europe’s digital ecosystem, balancing innovation with safeguards against platform-induced societal risks.
As the EU continues designating platforms—now totaling 26 VLOPs—these rules are reshaping global tech operations, prompting companies to prioritize compliance teams and ethical AI use. For users, this means safer Channels with better protections, though private chats remain a privacy haven. The Commission’s ongoing verifications ensure accurate enforcement, with future expansions potentially including emerging features like voice channels or AI integrations.
The information is collected from Livemint and Bloomberg.
