OpenAI's ChatGPT and Roblox have crossed the 45 million monthly user threshold in the European Union, triggering classification under the bloc's most stringent content moderation requirements.
Both platforms now fall under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) designation as "very large online platforms," a category reserved for services exceeding 45 million monthly active users in Europe.
The classification subjects ChatGPT and Roblox to enhanced obligations including:
- Content monitoring: Stricter oversight of user-generated content and algorithmic recommendations
- Transparency requirements: Detailed reporting on content moderation practices and algorithm operations
- Risk assessments: Regular evaluations of potential systemic risks to public safety, health, and democratic processes
- User rights: Strengthened mechanisms for users to appeal moderation decisions
ChatGPT's rapid adoption since its November 2022 launch has made it one of the fastest-growing applications ever. Roblox, a user-generated content platform popular with younger audiences, has also expanded significantly across Europe.
The DSA, which took full effect in 2024, represents the EU's most comprehensive effort to regulate tech platforms. Companies classified as "very large" face the heaviest compliance burden and face potential fines up to 6% of annual global revenue for violations.
Both platforms must now comply with additional auditing requirements, including independent third-party assessments of their systems. They must also provide European regulators with access to their algorithms and data upon request.
The move reflects Brussels' broader strategy to enforce stricter accountability standards on dominant digital services, particularly regarding algorithmic recommendation systems and their potential effects on minors, election integrity, and public discourse.
Other major platforms classified at this highest tier include Meta's Facebook and Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Amazon.
Snapchat is introducing a storage fee for users who want to save their photos and videos to the app's Memories feature. The move has triggered backlash from the user base.
Microsoft's quantum division leader Zulfi Alam is proceeding with claims his team engineered a new state of matter despite widespread doubt from the scientific community about the validity of the results.
In 2018, over 20,000 Google employees walked out to protest the company's handling of sexual harassment allegations. The action revealed how workers organized dissent from inside one of tech's largest corporations.
TikTok acknowledged a "moderator error" delayed removal of a livestream showing celebrity blogger Perez Hilton appearing to harm himself. The platform has since banned his account and notified law enforcement.