Bluesky, the decentralised social media platform originally launched as a research initiative by Twitter, has chosen Belgium for its EU headquarters. This decision places the Belgian telecom regulator, the Belgian Institute of Post and Telecommunications (BIPT), in charge of ensuring the platform complies with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
The DSA requires all online platforms operating in the European Union to register their headquarters within the bloc. While only the largest platforms, known as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), must follow the strictest regulations, smaller companies like Bluesky will be monitored by national regulators.
Bluesky remains far from reaching VLOP status, which applies to platforms with at least 45 million monthly users in the EU. As of late last year, the company reported having just 20 million users worldwide, primarily in the US, Brazil, and Japan. However, its popularity surged following the US presidential election as users sought alternatives to X, the platform owned by Elon Musk.
Bluesky was invite-only until February last year, but its rapid growth has increased scrutiny over its regulatory obligations. The European Commission had been investigating where Bluesky had established its EU base, seeking information from all 27 national DSA regulators.
Belgium is also home to Telegram’s EU headquarters, meaning BIPT is responsible for overseeing the compliance of both platforms. Meanwhile, the Commission has designated 25 companies as VLOPs, including Facebook, Amazon, Temu, and Shein.
