ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox designated under EU's strictest platform rules

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The European Commission has placed ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under its toughest regulatory regime for online services.

On Monday, the Commission designated ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine and Reddit and Roblox as Very Large Online Platforms under its Digital Services Act . These labels place U.S.-based services under the Commission’s direct supervision, imposing obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks, including effects on minors, election integrity, and public security.

Should a company fail to comply with the rules within four months, it risks fines of up to six percent of its annual global revenue.

Online services with more than 45 million users in the EU are subject to the stricter regime, which now includes 28 platforms and search engines.

ChatGPT’s potential designation has been closely watched since it declared 120 million users last year. But the Commission has had a hard time deciding whether the flagship service run by OpenAI is a search engine or a platform. The popular chatbot credited with ushering in the current artificial intelligence revolution is already closely regulated in Brussels through the Artificial Intelligence Act.

Reddit, a discussion platform founded in 2005, reported 57.2 million users in July, whereas gaming platform Roblox said it had 46.6 million users in the EU.

None of the three companies were immediately available for comment.