Overview
- European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the executive is actively assessing a possible designation for WhatsApp specifically for Channels.
- WhatsApp Channels recorded about 51.7 million average monthly users in the EU in the first half of 2025, passing the Digital Services Act threshold.
- The review centers on distinguishing private chats that fall outside the law from open channels that operate like social media.
- A very large platform label would impose stricter obligations to curb illegal and harmful content and could carry fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue for violations.
- WhatsApp was not immediately available to comment on the Commission’s assessment.