• European Union classifies WhatsApp as very large online platform
• Meta must meet digital safety standards by May 2026

European Commission gives Meta four months to ensure WhatsApp complies with additional obligations under the EU Digital Services Act, after designating it a very large online platform.

The Commission formally labeled WhatsApp as a very large online platform after its “Channels” feature exceeded 45 million users within the European Union.

Under the Digital Services Act, Meta must comply with the new requirements by mid-May 2026, including assessing and mitigating systemic risks such as illegal content dissemination, election manipulation, and violations of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression.

The Commission clarified that WhatsApp is considered a “hybrid service,” combining private messaging and online platform features.

The “Channels” feature, which allows users to broadcast updates to a wide audience, falls under the definition of an online platform service and is therefore subject to the general DSA obligations.

By contrast, WhatsApp’s private messaging service, which allows text messaging and calls, remains explicitly excluded from the law’s application, according to the Commission.