The European Commission has formally designated WhatsApp as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This means stricter obligations for Meta to address risks such as disinformation, privacy issues, and violations of fundamental rights.
According to the Commission, WhatsApp is a hybrid service: private messages such as text, voice notes, photos, and video calls are explicitly excluded from the DSA. WhatsApp Channels, which disseminate information to a wide audience, do qualify as an online platform and already comply with general DSA requirements.
In its announcement, the Commission emphasizes that this feature is already covered by the general obligations for EU platforms. Private messages remain excluded, raising critical questions about the scope of regulation in an app with 51.7 million monthly users in the EU.
Meta has four months, until mid-May 2026, to comply with additional VLOP obligations. This includes assessing and mitigating systemic risks, such as human rights violations, freedom of expression, election manipulation, illegal content, and privacy concerns.
The Commission will oversee compliance in cooperation with the Irish Digital Services Coordinator Coimisiún na Meán. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 6 percent of global annual turnover.
WhatsApp surpassed the threshold of 45 million monthly users for Channels in the first half of 2025, leading to this designation. Other VLOPs such as Meta's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as competitors, are already subject to this regime.
Previous considerations by the Commission dated back to early January 2026, with a focus on separating private and public functions. This step strengthens EU accountability for big tech, but raises questions about effectiveness in end-to-end encryption and hybrid services.
