Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 9, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
The EU is considering making WhatsApp more accountable for harmful content by possibly designating it as a 'very large platform', increasing its legal responsibilities.
BRUSSELS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The European Commission is considering recategorizing Meta's WhatsApp messaging service to make it more responsible for tackling illegal and harmful content, a spokesperson for the commission said on Friday.
The spokesperson said the commission is actively considering designating WhatsApp a "very large platform", which would increase its legal responsibilities to address damaging content, after it published user numbers above the Digital Services Act threshold in February 2025.
"I wouldn't exclude a future designation," spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters.
(Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen; Editing by Bart Meijer, Charlotte Van Campenhout and Jan Harvey)
A very large platform refers to online services that have significant user bases and are subject to stricter regulations under laws like the Digital Services Act, aimed at combating illegal content.
The Digital Services Act is a European Union regulation that sets out rules for online platforms to ensure user safety and accountability, particularly regarding harmful content.
Regulatory requirements are rules and standards set by authorities that organizations must comply with, often concerning safety, transparency, and accountability in their operations.
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