EU widens DSA scrutiny of ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox

European Union regulators and national Digital Services Coordinators have opened inquiries in recent weeks into OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under the Digital Services Act. The requests seek detailed records on how each service manages illegal content, protects minors and limits systemic risks for users in the EU.

The inquiries ask the companies to provide documentation on content moderation policies, algorithmic systems, handling of user complaints and measures to identify and reduce systemic harms. Regulators are checking whether the platforms have carried out the assessments and technical steps the DSA requires for services with large audiences in the bloc.

For ChatGPT, officials requested information about model training, safety testing procedures, and the guardrails used to reduce the spread of false or harmful information. The letters ask for details on user-facing safety features and on mechanisms that allow researchers and regulators to inspect how the system behaves for EU users.

For Reddit, regulators focused on moderation across user-created communities, the speed and effectiveness of removing illegal material, and how recommendation or ranking systems may amplify content. Requests include records on moderation staffing, review workflows and algorithm design affecting content distribution.

For Roblox, the inquiries concentrate on safeguards for children and teenagers who use the platform. Regulators asked for descriptions of age verification processes, parental controls, moderation of in-game communications and measures to prevent exploitative or sexual content.

The Digital Services Act, which took effect for most provisions in 2023, requires very large online platforms to perform systemic risk assessments, publish transparency reports, provide vetted researchers with access to data, and undergo independent audits when required. The law also requires effective complaint handling and disclosure of how content-ranking systems work. Noncompliance can trigger administrative fines of up to 6% of a company’s global annual turnover.

Responses from the companies will be examined by national coordinators and the European Commission. Regulators can demand corrective measures, order changes to how services operate for EU users, carry out targeted inspections and coordinate across member states if the information provided is judged insufficient. Fines remain an available enforcement tool.

The inquiries align with the authorities’ broader DSA enforcement work since the law entered into force, which has included classifying large platforms, issuing guidance on obligations and conducting compliance checks. Platforms designated as very large online platforms face the strictest reporting and risk-mitigation requirements because of their wide reach and potential impact on user safety and public discourse.