ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox fall under the EU's strictest rules

The European Commission announced on Monday that OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot, the Reddit forum and the Roblox gaming platform have been designated as so-called very large online platforms under the Digital Services Act (DSA), Europe's flagship online safety regime.

The move was prompted by the fact that all three services crossed the threshold of 45 million monthly users in the EU, above which stricter oversight kicks in. The new status brings additional obligations: removing illegal content, as well as protecting the privacy and safety of minors. Non-compliance carries fines of up to 6% of global revenue. The companies have until the end of December to bring their services into line.

“ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be subject to higher standards of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union — commensurate with their significant impact on our citizens and society,” said EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

The decision continues the DSA's expansion into generative artificial intelligence: Grok, the chatbot from Elon Musk's company X, has already become the target of an investigation under the law. An OpenAI spokesperson said the company was preparing to meet the additional requirements. Roblox called itself “the first gaming platform to reach this milestone in the EU” and stressed its commitment to safety. Reddit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At the same time, Brussels is beginning to enforce the AI Act — the world's first body of rules governing the development of the technology — and is pursuing antitrust proceedings against AI services, including an examination of whether Google broke competition rules by using AI overviews in search.

The DSA's expansion comes amid pressure from Washington, which is unhappy with the regulation of American tech giants. The US claims the EU is unfairly targeting its companies and encroaching on the principles of free speech. The Commission, for its part, insists that its digital laws apply to companies regardless of where they are registered. As proof — the July fine of 550 million euros imposed under the DSA on the Chinese marketplace AliExpress for insufficient measures against the sale of illegal goods.

Source: Ars Technica