WhatsApp faces stricter EU content rules over its Channels feature

The European Commission plans to designate WhatsApp as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP under the Digital Services Act (DSA) on the basis of its public Channels feature, requiring Meta Platforms Inc. messaging service to comply with stricter content moderation and transparency standards. 

The new status will not affect WhatsApp’s core private messaging features, as the Digital Services Act does not regulate personal communications between users. The regulation specifically targets publicly accessible content distribution channels that function like social media platforms.

Channels are open feeds affiliated with news organizations or public figures. WhatsApp reported in February that its channels averaged approximately 46.8 million monthly users in Europe by late 2024.

A spokesperson for the European Commission stated that the institution cannot confirm the timeline for a potential future designation. No specific date also has been set for a public announcement. 

Under the DSA, exceeding 45 million monthly active users triggers eligibility for designation; the European Commission verifies the figures and then formally designates the service as a VLOP. Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, already carry this label.

VLOP must conduct risk assessments on the spread of illegal or harmful content on their services and implement mitigation strategies to address identified risks. They are required to disclose user numbers every six months, a requirement that previously forced Apple Inc. to reveal European App Store figures for the first time. Companies that fail to comply with the regulation face fines up to 6% of their annual global sales.

The designation could intensify tensions between the European Union and US President Donald Trump. Trump has criticized European technology regulation as unfairly targeting American companies and has previously threatened to impose tariffs in response to the EU fining US technology firms.

Earlier, we wrote that messaging platforms have become a target for sophisticated fraud schemes, with Binance CEO Richard Teng warning in November 2025 about scammers impersonating company staff on WhatsApp to contact users.