ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox have been designated Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, placing the services under the bloc’s strictest online-safety and transparency requirements. The European Commission said each platform has surpassed 45 million monthly active users in the EU, the threshold for the designation.
The VLOP rules require additional measures addressing illegal content, systemic risks, privacy, transparency and the protection of minors. Companies that fail to comply can face penalties of up to 6% of their annual worldwide revenue.
“ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the EU, commensurate with their significant impact on our citizens and society,” said Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s executive vice-president responsible for technology.
All three services have until the end of December 2026 to meet the new obligations. OpenAI has said it is preparing to comply with the additional requirements, while Roblox said safety is a foundational part of its platform and that it will continue working with the European Commission. Reddit had not provided a response when the information was published.
The designation also extends the DSA’s most intensive oversight further into generative AI. xAI’s Grok chatbot is already attracting scrutiny from European authorities, while the EU is separately beginning to apply the AI Act, its dedicated legal framework for AI systems.
