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.
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
Iran has sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA, as Qatar’s Prime Minister...
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuatio...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling rem...
China’s exports grew faster than expected in April, as overseas buyers moved quickly to secure supplies a...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
Minval Politika has released new footage it says shows former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discussing alleged contacts with Armenia’s foreign minister and campaigns linked to Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to hold negotiations with “everyone,” including European leaders, the Kremlin said on Friday, after reports that the European Union is considering possible talks with Moscow.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s planned visits to Yerevan and Baku framed the 8th European Political Community summit on 4 May, as European leaders focused on fragile South Caucasus peace efforts and rising geopolitical tensions.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
A robotics startup says it has built an AI “brain” that can teach humanoid robots new physical skills in days rather than months, as the race to deploy human-shaped machines in factories and warehouses accelerates.
Apple and Meta have publicly opposed a Canadian bill they say could force technology companies to weaken encryption on devices and online services if it becomes law.
European Union countries and European Parliament lawmakers have agreed on a softened version of the bloc’s landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delayed implementation, in a move critics say reflects growing concessions to major technology firms.
Almaty is hosting GITEX AI Kazakhstan 2026 two-day event, drawing global tech firms and investors as Central Asia gains attention as a fast developing digital market. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus exhibition in Almaty on 4 May.
A humanoid robot called Sophia took an unusual place at the heart of a classical concert in Hong Kong on Wednesday (29 April), as she performed alongside a live orchestra for the first time.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment