Brussels, January 26 (QNA) – The European Commission (EC) announced Monday that WhatsApp, owned by the American company Meta Group, will be subject to stricter regulations within the European Union (EU).

This follows its official inclusion on the list of Very Large Platforms (VLOPs) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

In a statement, the EC clarified that these new obligations will apply exclusively to WhatsApp Channels, given its nature as a content distribution platform.

It emphasized that the requirements do not include the encrypted instant messaging functions, which constitute the core activity of the application.

Under the new Digital Services Act, Meta has been granted a four-month grace period, ending in late May, to comply with these enhanced obligations.

The new requirements include a comprehensive assessment of the risks users may face and measures to mitigate them, including infringements on freedom of expression, attempts to manipulate elections, the dissemination of illegal content, and privacy violations.

Companies subject to these requirements face substantial fines of up to 6 percent of their global annual revenue for non-compliance, and penalties could extend to bans on operating within Europe for serious and repeated violations.

It is worth noting that the list of major online platforms has expanded significantly since the Digital Services Act came into effect two years ago, as part of a European effort to ensure a safer and more accountable digital environment. (QNA)