The European Commission has classified ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine under the EU’s Digital Services Act, placing it among the most heavily regulated digital services in the European Union. This designation was announced alongside similar classifications for Reddit and Roblox, triggering heightened compliance obligations for all three platforms.
Under the DSA framework, platforms achieve “Very Large” status upon reaching 45 million average monthly users within the EU. The regulatory designation requires these services to implement stricter controls on targeted advertising, particularly regarding minors, and prohibits the use of personal characteristics such as sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or political beliefs for ad targeting purposes.
OpenAI and the other designated platforms face mandatory requirements for algorithmic transparency, compelling them to disclose detailed information about how their recommendation systems operate. Additionally, the platforms must establish mechanisms to mitigate risks associated with their services, including effects on minor users, impacts on mental health, and the circulation of illegal content.
The three companies have been granted until the end of December 2026 to achieve full compliance with the DSA requirements. According to Henna Virkkunen, the EU executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, these designations reflect the substantial influence these platforms exert on European citizens and society, necessitating enhanced regulatory oversight proportional to their scale and reach.
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