Brussels, February 21, 2025 – Alphabet’s mapping app Waze has crossed the threshold for classification as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), triggering tougher obligations to tackle illegal online content.
According to a Google filing dated February 14, Waze registered 50.5 million average monthly users in the EU from July to December 2024.
Under the DSA, any online platform with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU is subject to enhanced regulatory requirements, which include stricter measures for content moderation and greater transparency. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier confirmed via email, “We are aware that Waze has published user numbers above the DSA threshold for designation as a Very Large Online Platform.”
In contrast, three major adult content platforms, which were previously designated as VLOPs in December 2023, reported a significant drop in users during the latter half of last year. One platform that offers adult content reported that it had an average of 26.6 million monthly users in the EU as of January 1st. Other platforms also reported similar figures as of August 1st, 2024. Regnier noted that an undesignation is possible under the DSA if a platform’s user numbers fall below the threshold, although general obligations under the law would still apply.
The European Commission is expected to finalize its decision on VLOP designations within approximately two months after verifying the reported user figures. Companies found to be in breach of the DSA rules may face fines of up to 6% of their annual global revenue.
The differing designations reflect the evolving digital landscape, as platforms like Waze must now bolster their efforts against illegal content while others, such as the adult content sites, may benefit from lighter regulatory oversight.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign ...
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent&...
More than 20 hospitals and health centres in Gaza could lose a key source of fuel from 19 September, according to the Strip's Health Ministry....
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
Shares in artificial intelligence-related companies fell sharply across Asian markets on Monday, after some of the industry's most prominent chief executives warned that the breakneck pace of AI development needs to slow down.
The head of artificial intelligence company Anthropic has called for the industry to slow the pace at which it develops increasingly capable artificial intelligence (AI) systems, arguing that more time is needed to address the risks they may create.
GITEX AI Türkiye opened in Istanbul on Wednesday, bringing the international technology exhibition network to the country for the first time.
A former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher has quit his job with a stark warning: the companies building some of the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence (AI) systems are racing towards technology they themselves fear could threaten humanity.
Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton has warned against rushing to develop artificial superintelligence, arguing that scientists still do not know how to ensure systems more capable than humans remain safe and under control.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment