EU Designates ChatGPT, Reddit And Roblox As Very Large Platforms, Gives Them Four Months...

The European Commission on Monday designated ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox as "very large online platforms" under the European Union's Digital Services Act, bringing the services under a tougher set of regulatory requirements covering content moderation, user safety and systemic risks.

The three services have each reported reaching at least 45 million monthly active users in the European Union, the threshold for classification as a very large online platform or search engine under the DSA.

The designation gives the companies four months to comply with the additional obligations imposed on the bloc's largest digital services.

The rules require the platforms to identify and mitigate risks associated with the spread of illegal content, while taking measures to address potential harm to minors and risks to users' physical and mental wellbeing.

The European Commission will also assess whether the platforms adequately manage risks that could affect fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security.

The move places ChatGPT in a significant regulatory category. The Commission said the AI service qualifies as an online search engine under the DSA, meaning OpenAI will have to meet obligations designed for services that can expose users to large volumes of information and content.

Reddit and Roblox fall under the online-platform category because both allow users to disseminate content to the public. Reddit is primarily a discussion and community platform, while Roblox combines gaming with a large ecosystem of user-generated content and social interaction.

Tougher Scrutiny for AI And User-Generated Content

The designations expand the EU's direct oversight of major services whose influence extends beyond traditional social media.

For OpenAI, the decision adds another layer of regulatory scrutiny as ChatGPT evolves from a conversational AI product into a broader information, search, and productivity service. Its classification as an online search engine means the company will face DSA obligations even though ChatGPT's core functionality differs substantially from conventional search engines.

The rules require very large platforms and search engines to conduct regular assessments of systemic risks and take measures to reduce those risks. The Commission can investigate whether companies are complying with their obligations and examine the design and functionality of the services.

For Reddit and Roblox, the designation places greater emphasis on the risks created by user-generated content. Both platforms host large volumes of material created by users, increasing the importance of systems that can identify illegal content and protect younger users.

The Commission's focus on minors is particularly relevant to Roblox, whose platform has a substantial youth user base and combines gaming, social interaction and user-generated experiences.

The DSA has created a regulatory framework in which the largest digital platforms face obligations that go beyond ordinary content moderation. The EU can require designated companies to provide information, conduct risk assessments and implement measures aimed at reducing systemic threats.

The latest designations therefore increase the number of major technology services subject to the bloc's highest level of digital oversight and reinforce the EU's broader effort to hold large online platforms accountable for the effects of their products.

The four-month compliance period gives ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox time to put the required systems in place. The Commission will then have greater authority to assess whether their measures are adequate and investigate potential violations.

For OpenAI in particular, the designation comes as governments increasingly examine how rapidly expanding AI services should be regulated when they function not only as conversational assistants but also as gateways to information, content and automated services.

The classification signals that the EU intends to apply its digital rules according to how a service operates and the scale of its reach, rather than relying solely on traditional definitions of social media or search.