WhatsApp faces tougher EU rules as users top 45 million

The EU's Digital Services Act imposes stricter requirements on very large online platforms, defined as those whose EU-based monthly active users exceed 45 million

The European Commission has been increasing scrutiny of social media in an attempt to rein in the power of predominantly American tech companies. File picture

Meta Platforms’ messaging service WhatsApp reached a crucial user milestone likely to bind it to more stringent rules under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

WhatsApp’s open channels, which are feeds affiliated with news outlets or public figures that under the DSA are comparable to a social network, averaged about 46.8 million monthly average users in the second half of 2024, Meta said in a filing on February 14 that hasn’t previously been reported.