Big Tech Firms Publish Monthly Active Users Data for EU

Big tech companies have released monthly active users (MAU) numbers to comply with a regulation.

Reuters reported Friday (Feb. 17) that the firms released the numbers because they were required to do so by Friday to comply with the European Union’s (EU’s) Digital Services Act (DSA).

Under the act, online platforms and search engines had to publish their monthly active users to show whether they meet the threshold — 45 million users — at which they are classified as “very large online platforms” (VLOPs) and, therefore subject to DSA rules, according to the report.

Companies that are classified as VLOPs must adhere to rules concerning risk management, auditing, data sharing and a code of conduct, according to Reuters.

Among those whose numbers met that MAU threshold are Facebook with 255 million, Instagram with 250 million, Bing with 107 million, Twitter with 100.9 million and TikTok with 100.9 million, the report said.

Google parent Alphabet reported that the MAU of signed-in users was 401.7 million for YouTube, 332 million for Google Search, 278.6 million for Google Maps, 274.6 million for Google Play and 74.9 million for Shopping, per the report.

Firms reporting MAU of “more than 45 million” include Alibaba’s AliExpress, Amazon and Apple’s iOS App Store, according to the report.

In a post on its website, Apple said that although only its iOS App Store had an MAU of more than 45 million; its other App Stores did not.

“Nonetheless, Apple intends, on an entirely voluntary basis, to align each of the existing versions of the App Store (including those that do not currently meet the VLOP designation threshold) with the existing DSA requirements for VLOPs because the goals of the DSA align with Apple’s goals to protect consumers from illegal content,” the firm said on its website.

As PYMNTS reported in October, the European Council said the DSA, packaged with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), requires transparency from technology platforms and accountability in their role as disseminators of content.

The DSA outlines content and marketplace moderation rules that strive to make removing illegal content, services or products easier while increasing accountability surrounding removal decisions.