WhatsApp has become the 26th platform to fall under the European Union’s strictest transparency requirements. The Meta-owned messaging app confirmed in its latest transparency report that it has surpassed 46.8 million monthly average users in the EU. This figure exceeds the 45 million threshold required to be designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
With this designation, WhatsApp must now comply with new obligations aimed at strengthening consumer protection, safeguarding fundamental rights, and preventing the spread of illegal content. The platform has four months to implement these changes, though an official start date has not yet been confirmed.
Meta’s other major platforms, Facebook and Instagram, are already classified as VLOPs and are currently being investigated by the European Commission for potential DSA violations.
Meanwhile, Telegram, a rival messaging service founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, remains below the 45 million threshold in the EU. The Belgian Digital Services Coordinator, which oversees Telegram’s compliance, has indicated that the app is unlikely to reach VLOP status soon. However, an upcoming EU Commission decision on how user numbers are calculated could impact these figures.
WhatsApp’s inclusion brings the total number of VLOPs under the DSA to 26. Other platforms on the list include Google, Amazon, LinkedIn, Temu, and Shein. The new rules are expected to reshape the digital landscape, increasing oversight of the region’s largest online services.
