The European Commission has formally designated WhatsApp as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA), after its Channels feature surpassed the threshold of 45 million users in the EU.

WhatsApp is a hybrid service, combining private messaging and online platform features. While WhatsApp’s private messaging, allowing text, voice, video, photos, documents, and calls, remains excluded from the DSA, the Channels feature, which enables users to broadcast information and updates to a broad audience, is considered an online platform service and is already subject to DSA obligations.

Following the designation, Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has four months (until mid-May 2026) to comply with the additional obligations for VLOPs. These include assessing and mitigating systemic risks, such as threats to fundamental rights, freedom of expression, electoral manipulation, illegal content dissemination, and privacy issues.

The European Commission will now supervise WhatsApp’s compliance with the DSA in cooperation with Coimisiún na Meán, the Irish Digital Services Coordinator.