Online services ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will need to comply with the strict standards of the EU’s Digital Services Act, following their designation by the European Commission Monday as ‘very large’ online platforms.
By passing the threshold of 45 million average monthly users in the EU, ChatGPT, as a ‘Very Large Online Search Engine’ (VLOSEs) and Reddit and Roblox, as ‘Very Large Online Platforms’ (VLOPs), have four months to comply with additional requirements obligations under the Digital Services Act for VLOPs and VLOSEs.
“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 EC executive vice-president Henna Virkkunen.
Their obligations will now include assessing and mitigating the systemic risks stemming from their service and algorithmic systems related to the dissemination of illegal content, the negative effects on minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security.
With the new designations, the Commission gains investigative powers to assess the functionalities behind these services and, where applicable, any related system. The EU executive will be competent to supervise compliance with the DSA, in cooperation with Coimisiún na Meán for ChatGPT and Reddit, and the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) for Roblox. These entities serve as the Digital Services Coordinators respectively for Ireland and for the Netherlands, where the designated services are established.
ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that can engage with and respond to users’ prompts and queries, including by searching the web. ChatGPT is therefore a hybrid service that qualifies as an online search engine under the DSA.
Reddit is a discussion-based platform that enables users to create, share, and interact with content within topic-based communities. Roblox is an immersive gaming and creation platform that enables users to create, publish, and play games developed by other users. As these services enable users to disseminate third-party content to the public, they qualify as online platforms under the DSA.
Roblox, Reddit and ChatGPT are already subject to the general obligations applicable to online platforms and search engines under the DSA, respectively.
The Commission has now designated 28 very large online platforms and search engines under the DSA.
The supervision and enforcement of the DSA is shared between the Commission and Digital Services Coordinators, which are responsible for the enforcement and supervision of the Digital Services Act in the Member States.
