ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox Now Need to Comply With Stricter DSA Rules in the EU

The European Commission announced today that ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox have crossed the 45 million average monthly users threshold to be submitted to stricter Digital Services Act (DSA) obligations. The three platforms will soon need to increase their efforts to provide a safer online experience for European users. The EU Commission will also gain investigative powers to ensure that they comply with the DSA.

OpenAI has been designated as a “Very Large Online Search Engine” (VLOSE) under the DSA, while Reddit and Roblox were both designated as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), respectively. The three platforms were already subject to the general obligations applicable to online platforms and search engines under the DSA. These baseline DSA obligations include clear mechanisms to report illegal content, advertising transparency, and special rules concerning minors.

“These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their large impact on our citizens and society. We continue to watch the digital landscape closely and will not hesitate to designate any platform that meets the threshold for enhanced supervision under the Digital Services Act,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

In practice, ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox now have four months to implement new measures to protect users against illegal content, ensure the physical and mental well-being of their users, and address risks related to electoral processes and public security. If the three platforms fail to comply with these new DSA obligations by January 2027, they could face an investigation from the EU Commission, which could impose fines of up to 6% of their worldwide annual turnover.