ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox Face Toughest EU Online Safety Rules

The European Commission announced on Monday that OpenAI's ChatGPT, the social media forum Reddit, and the gaming platform Roblox will be designated as very large online platforms (VLOPs) under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), its landmark online safety regime. The designation means all three services must comply with additional obligations, including removing illegal content and safeguarding the privacy and security of minors. Failure to meet these requirements could result in fines of up to 6 percent of each company's global annual revenue. The decision reflects the EU's ongoing effort to apply its existing digital regulations to rapidly evolving AI services, with ChatGPT being a prominent example of an AI-powered tool now subject to the same rules as traditional social media platforms.

Why This Matters

ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox must now actively moderate illegal content and protect minors, potentially altering how these services operate in the EU.
The ruling sets a precedent for how the DSA applies to AI chatbots, blurring the line between content platforms and AI tools.
Non-compliance risks significant financial penalties, putting pressure on companies to invest in compliance systems.

Background

The EU Digital Services Act is a landmark regulation that imposes tiered obligations on online platforms based on their size and reach. Services with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU are classified as very large online platforms and face stricter rules on content moderation, transparency, and risk assessments. This is the first time the DSA has been explicitly applied to an AI chatbot service like ChatGPT, signalling the EU's intention to treat generative AI as a content platform under existing law.

Key Perspectives

[OpenAI]: As the operator of ChatGPT, OpenAI now faces the challenge of adapting its AI system to meet DSA requirements, including removing illegal content generated by the model and implementing stronger age-verification measures. [Reddit]: The social forum already has content moderation systems, but the VLOP designation forces it to conduct annual risk assessments and provide more transparency about its algorithms, especially regarding minors. [Roblox]: The children-focused gaming platform will need to enhance minor safety protections, which may involve stricter chat filters and reporting mechanisms. [Critics/Skeptics]: Some legal experts and free-speech advocates argue that applying the DSA to AI chatbots could lead to over-censorship or technical infeasibility, as removing specific illegal outputs from a generative model is more complex than removing a user post.

What to Watch

How each company publicly responds to the designation and any compliance timelines they announce.
The EU's next steps if any service fails to comply, including potential formal investigations or fines.
Whether other AI services, such as Google's Gemini or Microsoft's Copilot, face similar designations in the future.

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