EU Eyes WhatsApp for Strict Digital Rules

WhatsApp's broadcasting feature, Channels, is now under consideration for stricter European Union regulation. Having reached approximately 51.7 million average monthly active users in the EU during the first half of 2025, it has crossed the 45 million user threshold to be considered a 'Very Large Online Platform' under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

This classification subjects platforms to stringent rules on managing illegal and harmful content. Failure to comply with the DSA can result in penalties of up to six percent of a company's global annual revenue. While WhatsApp traditionally operates as a private messaging service, its Channels feature shares similarities with Meta's other social media platforms, prompting the European Commission's active review.

This intensified scrutiny follows previous regulatory actions against Meta in the EU. In October 2025, the company was charged with violating the DSA concerning content reporting mechanisms on Facebook and Instagram. Earlier that year, a Dutch court also mandated changes to how Meta presents its platform timelines to ensure users have greater autonomy over personalized recommendations.