The European Union has moved forward with new regulations on large digital platforms and increased its control over ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox
The European Commission designated the artificial intelligence service as a "Very Large Online Search Engine" and Reddit and Roblox as "Very Large Online Platforms", subjecting them to the strictest and most authoritarian regulations outlined in the Digital Services Act (DSA)
This decision represents a new advance by Brussels regarding the operation of large tech platforms. Following this classification, the three services will have four months, until the end of November, to comply with a series of additional obligations that expand European authorities' control over their operations
Flags of the European Union
In the case of ChatGPT, the European Commission decided to consider the AI chatbot as a search engine when it extracts real-time results from the Internet. For Brussels, it is a "hybrid service" that can answer user questions and queries through web searches
"These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox will be subject to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their significant impact on our citizens and society", stated Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for technological sovereignty, security, and democracy
Reddit and Roblox were included as Very Large Online Platforms, known as VLOPs, because they allow their users to create and share content publicly
"We continue to closely monitor the digital landscape and will not hesitate to designate any platform that meets the requirements for enhanced oversight under the Digital Services Act", noted the European Commission
The regulations of the European Union are advancing
The regulation establishes that online services exceeding 45 million monthly users within the European Union fall under the category of Very Large Online Platforms or Very Large Online Search Engines, depending on their functions
Now, ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox will face a series of strong regulations that include annual assessments of "systemic risks"
Additionally, companies will have to undergo audits and provide all information to regulatory bodies. With these new additions, the strictest level of the DSA now applies to 28 platforms and search engines
Fines and economic extortion
The regulatory scheme has already resulted in fines of around 870 million euros, including a penalty of 550 million euros against AliExpress in July, another of 200 million against Temu in May, and a fine of 120 million against X in December 2025
The regime also includes sanctions that can reach up to 6% of a company's global annual revenue. For tech companies with growing revenues, the economic threat of failing to comply with European provisions can be considerable
Brussels' regulatory offensive also creates tension with the United States. Washington has questioned the European regulatory campaign, and the administration of Donald Trump labeled the DMA fines against Apple and Meta as a "new form of economic extortion", in addition to threatening retaliation against countries that implement sanctions targeting U.S. tech companies
With the inclusion of ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox, the European Union once again expands the scope of its digital oversight and control system, in a new regulatory advance against digital platforms and users
