EU Regulators Engage with Telegram as App Nears Critical Usage Threshold

EU tech regulators are actively engaging with messaging app Telegram as the platform approaches a significant usage milestone that could subject it to more stringent regulations under the EU’s landmark online content legislation, the European Commission announced on Tuesday.

The Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into effect last year, mandates all online intermediaries and platforms to implement measures against illegal and harmful content. However, the legislation imposes tougher obligations on major tech companies, referred to as very large online platforms (VLOPs), to intensify their efforts in policing content.

According to Reuters, the platform had 41 million EU users in the six months leading up to February, just shy of the DSA’s 45 million user threshold. If it surpasses this threshold, the EU will classify Telegram as a VLOP and it will need to comply with the stricter regulatory framework.

“We are in touch with Telegram,” a Commission spokesman stated, emphasizing that the EU executive is monitoring developments closely and maintaining communication with digital service coordinators.

Currently, 18 online platforms have been designated as VLOPs under the DSA, including tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and ByteDance’s TikTok. The list also includes AliExpress, Snap, Pinterest, Zalando, and three pornography websites.

Related: Telegram Files EU Antitrust Complaint Against Apple

The inclusion of more platforms like Telegram into the VLOP category underscores the EU’s commitment to ensuring safer digital environments by holding large tech companies accountable for the content on their platforms.

Source: Reuters