ChatGPT and other platforms face new oversight under European Union regulation

The European Union has officially designated ChatGPT, OpenAI's conversational model, alongside Reddit and Roblox, as major digital services under the Digital Services Act. This classification places these platforms under heightened scrutiny, holding them accountable for their widespread societal impact.

Regulatory thresholds and timelines

Under the framework of the Digital Services Act, or DSA, digital platforms and search engines qualify for heightened oversight once they surpass an average of 45 million monthly active users within the European Union. Following this designation, the affected companies are granted a specific transition period to align their operations with European standards.

ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox have until the end of December 2026 to fully comply with the required mandates. Henna Virkkunen, the EU executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, noted that these new designations reflect the significant influence these services hold over European citizens and society.

Core requirements of the legislation

The implementation of the DSA introduces several specific operational constraints and transparency obligations for the newly designated platforms:

• Protection of minors: Companies must take active measures to safeguard minors and mitigate risks associated with youth mental health.
• Advertising restrictions: Targeted advertising directed at minors is prohibited, as is the use of sensitive personal data such as religious beliefs, political affiliations, sexual orientation, or ethnicity for ad profiling.
• Content moderation: Platforms are required to implement robust safeguards against the spread of illegal content.
• Algorithmic transparency: Entities must provide clear explanations regarding the mechanics of their recommendation engines.

As the compliance deadline approaches, these organizations will need to adapt their systemic risk assessments to satisfy European regulatory bodies and ensure a safer digital environment for all users.