OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox are moving into a tougher tier of European Union online safety oversight after the European Commission classified all three services as very large online platforms under the EU Digital Services Act.
The decision reflects the scale these services have reached in the EU. Each has surpassed 45 million monthly users in the EU, the threshold that triggers enhanced scrutiny under the DSA.
What the New Classification Means
The Commission said on Monday that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will face additional obligations under the EU’s landmark online safety regime. Those duties include removing illegal content and protecting the privacy and security of minors.
The designation also brings financial risk. If the services fail to comply, they could face fines of up to 6 percent of their global revenue.
The new status does not treat the three platforms as identical in how people use them. ChatGPT is a generative AI chatbot, Reddit is a social media forum and Roblox is a gaming platform. But under the DSA, the Commission is focusing on their large impact and reach in the European Union.
“ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their large impact on our citizens and society,” said the EU’s tech chief Henna Virkkunen.
Why ChatGPT Matters in the DSA Expansion
The decision marks a further expansion of the DSA into generative AI. That is significant because the law was designed as an online safety regime, while AI services are developing quickly and do not always fit neatly into older platform categories.
The source also notes that X’s AI chatbot Grok is already facing an investigation under the law. With ChatGPT now added to the DSA’s highest platform category, Brussels is showing that widely used AI tools can be pulled into the same accountability framework as other large online services.
For OpenAI, the immediate issue is compliance. A spokesperson for OpenAI said the company was preparing to meet the additional compliance requirements.
The Commission’s move shows how existing digital regulation is being applied to rapidly evolving AI services. The EU is also starting to enforce its AI Act, described in the source as the world’s first regime regulating the development of the fast-developing technology.
Reddit and Roblox Face the Same Higher Bar
Reddit and Roblox are included in the same DSA designation because they also surpassed 45 million monthly users in the EU. That threshold is the key reason the three services now face the additional obligations.
Roblox framed the decision as a milestone for its business in Europe. The company said it was “proud to be the first gaming platform to reach this milestone in the EU” and added that “safety is foundational to everything we do and we look forward to continuing our constructive engagement with the European Commission.”
Reddit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The rules matter because these services host or shape large volumes of user interaction. The obligations named by the Commission focus on areas where large-scale platforms can affect public safety, user privacy and minors’ security.
The Compliance Clock Is Running
ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox now have until the end of December to comply with the additional obligations. That gives the companies a limited window to align their operations with the enhanced DSA requirements attached to very large online platforms.
The source does not list every operational change the companies will need to make. But the core requirements identified by the Commission are clear: illegal content must be removed, and the privacy and security of minors must be protected.
The possible penalty also gives the designation weight. A fine of up to 6 percent of global revenue is large enough to make DSA compliance a board-level concern for any major online service.
Brussels Is Holding Its Line
The expansion of the DSA comes as Brussels faces pressure from Washington over its regulation of US tech companies. That pressure includes criticism over fines under the law against companies such as Elon Musk’s X.
Washington claims the EU is unfairly targeting US groups and infringing freedom of speech principles championed by the MAGA movement. The Commission’s position is different: it insists its digital laws apply to companies regardless of where they are based.
The source points to AliExpress as an example. In July, Chinese online marketplace AliExpress was fined €550 million under the DSA for failing to do enough to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform.
That example supports the Commission’s argument that the law is not limited to US companies. For ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox, the practical result is straightforward: their size in the EU now brings a higher standard of scrutiny, more explicit safety duties and the possibility of major fines if they fall short.