European Union Places ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox Under Strictest Digital Regulations
The European Commission has classified the platforms as very large online services under the Digital Services Act, imposing strict compliance rules by late 2026.
Key highlights · 2 min read
- OpenAI's ChatGPT, alongside Reddit and Roblox, must now adhere to the European Union's most stringent digital oversight framework after regulators designated the services as very large platforms un…
- The European Commission announced the classification after all three services exceeded the legal threshold of 45 million average monthly active users across the trade bloc, according to The Verge.
- Under the Digital Services Act, the three companies must proactively identify and mitigate systemic risks.
The Scale ReportOpenAI's ChatGPT, alongside Reddit and Roblox, must now adhere to the European Union's most stringent digital oversight framework after regulators designated the services as very large platforms under the Digital Services Act.
The European Commission announced the classification after all three services exceeded the legal threshold of 45 million average monthly active users across the trade bloc, according to The Verge. Regulators categorized ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine, while Reddit and Roblox received designations as Very Large Online Platforms.
Under the Digital Services Act, the three companies must proactively identify and mitigate systemic risks. This includes protecting minors, curbing potential harms to user mental health, and rapidly addressing the dissemination of illegal content across their systems.
The statutory framework also strictly forbids platforms from serving targeted advertisements to underage users or utilizing sensitive personal data, including political views, religious affiliations, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Furthermore, the companies will be required to open their algorithmic recommendation systems to greater transparency and external oversight.
"These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their large impact on our citizens and society," said Henna Virkkunen, EU executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy.
The move illustrates Brussels' determination to enforce accountability across generative AI systems rather than waiting for long-term downstream effects to materialize. By classifying ChatGPT as a major search engine, European regulators are signaling that conversational AI interfaces will bear the same regulatory responsibilities as traditional tech giants, potentially establishing an international precedent for AI governance.
OpenAI, Reddit, and Roblox have been given until the end of December 2026 to align their operations and safety systems with the European Union's compliance requirements.
Reporting based on coverage from AI | The Verge.
