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.
The European Union Council will hold hearings on May 27 regarding the possible suspension of Hungary’s voting rights within the Union. The information was published on the Council’s official website.
U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing the European Union to unilaterally reduce tariffs on American goods or face the reimposition of steep duties, according to a report by the Financial Times on Friday.
Shein says French consumers may face higher prices if the EU imposes handling fees and France enacts new penalties on fast fashion. The platform criticizes the lack of dialogue with authorities as pressure mounts on budget e-commerce models.
The European Union has approved a landmark €150 billion (nearly $170 billion) Defense Industrial Readiness Loan Instrument, known as SAFE, aimed at bolstering the bloc’s defense sector in the face of rising geopolitical threats.
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held a phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Wednesday to discuss next steps following the European Union’s recent decision to lift all economic sanctions on Syria.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The Trump administration has granted Syria a temporary waiver from key U.S. sanctions and loosened business restrictions, marking the first formal step in a broader plan to dismantle decades-old penalties.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Iran and the United States ended their fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with some progress but no resolution, according to the mediator from Oman.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
In a region long defined by conflict and complex history, AnewZ set out to hear the voices that matter most- those of the people.
Two staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.- Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot and killed on Wednesday night by a lone gunman as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, close to the White House.
At Computex 2025 in Taipei, standout innovations included Acer's affordable smart ring, Asus's gamer-centric split keyboard, and MSI's AMD-powered Claw A8 handheld gaming device.
At its inaugural developer conference on Thursday, Anthropic unveiled two new AI models, Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, part of its next-generation Claude 4 family.
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has confirmed that at least 69,461 customers had personal and financial information stolen in a months-long data breach, which the company disclosed last week.
Taiwan's Computex tech show brought together thousands of international participants on Tuesday, showcasing the highly advanced Artificial Intelligence and robotic systems.
Microsoft announced on Monday that it will begin hosting AI models from Elon Musk's xAI, Meta Platforms, and European startups like Mistral and Black Forest Labs in its own data centers.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The Trump administration has granted Syria a temporary waiver from key U.S. sanctions and loosened business restrictions, marking the first formal step in a broader plan to dismantle decades-old penalties.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Iran and the United States ended their fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with some progress but no resolution, according to the mediator from Oman.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment