According to engadget, WhatsApp is getting hit with the EU’s Very Large Online Platform designation specifically for its channels feature. The European Commission reportedly told Meta about this decision, though there’s no public announcement yet. WhatsApp averaged about 46.8 million EU users in the second half of 2024, which crosses the 45 million threshold that triggers VLOP status. This means WhatsApp joins Facebook and Instagram as Meta properties facing stricter EU regulation. The designation gives Brussels greater power over content moderation and data sharing requirements. Individual messaging won’t be affected—this is purely about WhatsApp’s broadcast channels.
What VLOP actually means for WhatsApp
So what changes when you become a VLOP? Basically, WhatsApp Channels now has to play by the EU’s strictest rulebook. We’re talking mandatory annual independent audits, transparent advertising practices, and way more scrutiny around how content gets moderated. The European Commission gets to peek under the hood whenever they want. And they’ve shown they’re not afraid to throw around some serious fines—we’re talking percentages of global revenue that actually hurt.
Meta’s regulatory pile-up
Here’s the thing: Meta now has three major platforms under VLOP scrutiny in Europe. Facebook, Instagram, and now WhatsApp Channels. That’s a regulatory compliance nightmare waiting to happen. I mean, how many audit teams and legal departments do you need to keep Brussels happy? And this is happening while Meta’s fighting the EU over data transfers and facing multiple antitrust investigations. It’s starting to feel like regulatory whack-a-mole for Zuckerberg’s team.
Where does this leave channels?
The interesting part is that this only applies to WhatsApp’s broadcast feature, not the core messaging service. That tells you something about how the EU views different types of platforms. Private messaging? Hands off. Public broadcast channels? Regulation city. This could actually shape how WhatsApp develops the channels feature going forward. Will they scale it back in Europe to avoid the compliance headache? Or double down and treat it as a separate business? Either way, the Digital Services Act is proving it’s not just for social networks—any platform reaching enough Europeans is fair game.
