European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology

01/26/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/26/2026 13:13

Commission designates WhatsApp as Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act

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

WhatsApp is a hybrid service comprising features of private messaging and of an online platform. WhatsApp Channels, the feature of WhatsApp that allows recipients to disseminate information, updates and announcements to a broad audience of WhatsApp users, falls under the definition of an online platform service and is therefore already subject to the general DSA obligations that online platforms in the EU must respect. WhatsApp's private messaging service enabling users to send text messages, voice notes, photos, videos, documents, and make voice and video calls to other users remains explicitly excluded from the application of the DSA.

Following the designation, Meta, the provider of WhatsApp, has four months, i.e. by mid-May 2026, to ensure WhatsApp complies with the additional DSA obligations for VLOPs. These obligations include duly assessing and mitigating any systemic risks, such as violations of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression, electoral manipulation, the dissemination of illegal content and privacy concerns, stemming from its services.

Following its designation as a very large online platform, the Commission will be competent to supervise WhatsApp's compliance with the DSA, in cooperation with Coimisiún na Meán, the Irish Digital Services Coordinator.

Find further information about the:

European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology published this content on January 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 26, 2026 at 19:13 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]