The European Commission has brought ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under the European Union's strictest digital platform rules through the Digital Services Act. The decision marks an important expansion of EU oversight over major online services and introduces additional responsibilities related to online safety, transparency and systemic risks.
Under the latest decision, ChatGPT has been designated as a Very Large Online Search Engine, while Reddit and Roblox have been classified as Very Large Online Platforms. The European Commission said the services reported reaching at least 45 million average monthly users in the European Union, which is the threshold for the highest level of DSA regulation.
The designation means the three services will have to comply with additional obligations under the Digital Services Act. These obligations are designed to address risks associated with very large digital services and their algorithmic systems.
One of the major areas of concern is the spread of illegal content. The European Union wants major online services to assess how their systems may contribute to the distribution of unlawful material and take appropriate measures to reduce such risks.
The new requirements also focus strongly on the protection of minors. Online platforms are expected to assess risks that could negatively affect children and young people, including exposure to harmful content and potentially damaging online behaviour.
The European Commission has identified child safety as an important area of DSA enforcement. Its recent systemic risk report highlighted concerns involving harmful content, cyberbullying, grooming and design features that can contribute to problematic or addictive online behaviour.
For Roblox, the child safety aspect is particularly significant because the platform is widely used by younger audiences. The EU's classification means the company will face greater scrutiny over the risks associated with its services and recommendation systems.
Reddit, meanwhile, operates as a large online discussion platform where users create and share content across thousands of communities. Under the new classification, the platform will have additional responsibilities for identifying and mitigating systemic risks arising from its scale and design.
ChatGPT's designation is particularly notable because it is the first AI chatbot to be classified by the European Commission as a Very Large Online Search Engine under the DSA. The classification reflects the growing role of generative AI services in how people access and interact with information online.
The classification does not mean that ChatGPT, Reddit or Roblox have been found guilty of violating the DSA. Instead, it places them in a category of services that must meet additional legal requirements because of their scale and potential impact on users and society.
The companies must assess systemic risks connected with their services and algorithmic systems. These assessments cover areas including illegal content, fundamental rights, public security, electoral processes and the physical and mental wellbeing of users.
The European Commission has given the newly designated services four months to comply with the additional obligations. This means the companies will need to make the necessary regulatory preparations within the period specified by the Commission.
The DSA is one of the European Union's main laws governing digital platforms. It establishes different levels of obligations depending on the size and influence of online services.
Platforms with more than 45 million monthly users in the European Union can be designated as Very Large Online Platforms or Very Large Online Search Engines. These services are subject to the most stringent requirements because the EU considers their scale capable of creating broader societal risks.
Among the requirements for very large services are measures to assess systemic risks and mitigate those risks. The rules also include greater transparency around recommendation systems and advertising.
The DSA provides users with additional rights and seeks to increase accountability among major digital platforms. It also gives regulators greater powers to examine how large services operate and how their systems may affect users.
The European Commission has increasingly focused on the protection of children online. Its guidelines for the protection of minors under the DSA address risks including grooming, harmful content, cyberbullying, problematic behaviour and harmful commercial practices.
The latest designations therefore come as part of a broader European effort to create a safer and more accountable online environment.
For technology companies, the new rules mean that simply providing a popular digital service is no longer enough. Large platforms must demonstrate that they understand the risks created by their systems and have appropriate measures in place to address them.
For users, the impact may gradually become visible through changes in platform policies, recommendation systems, transparency measures and safety features.
The European Commission is expected to continue monitoring the implementation of the DSA and assess whether designated services are meeting their obligations.
The development also highlights the growing regulatory attention being given to artificial intelligence. ChatGPT's inclusion demonstrates that EU digital regulation is expanding beyond conventional social media and search platforms to newer AI-based services.
The decision could also influence discussions about AI regulation in other countries. Governments around the world are examining how artificial intelligence platforms should address issues involving safety, misinformation, privacy, children and accountability.
However, the EU's approach combines platform regulation with existing artificial intelligence rules, creating a broader regulatory framework for digital services.
The latest decision brings ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox into a more closely monitored category within the European digital regulatory system. Their classification is based primarily on their scale within the European market and does not itself represent a finding of misconduct.
The companies now have a limited period to meet the additional requirements imposed on Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines.
As implementation progresses, regulators will assess how effectively the companies identify and mitigate risks associated with their services.
The development is another major step in the European Union's effort to increase accountability among large technology companies and strengthen online safety.
For users in Europe, the changes could eventually lead to greater transparency and additional safety measures. For the global technology industry, the decision reinforces the growing importance of regulatory compliance in the development and operation of large digital platforms.