EU Designates ChatGPT as 'Very Large' Search Engine, Mandating Risk Mitigation
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OpenAI, Reddit, and Roblox face stricter accountability under the Digital Services Act, moving AI oversight from voluntary ethics to legal requirements.
The European Union is escalating its regulatory oversight of major tech platforms, shifting the burden of risk mitigation from corporate discretion to legal mandate. According to reporting from The Verge, the European Commission has designated ChatGPT as a "Very Large Online Search Engine" and identified Reddit and Roblox as "Very Large Online Platforms."
Under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms are classified as "Very Large" once they exceed an average of 45 million monthly users within the EU. This designation subjects these companies to heightened scrutiny and accountability. Specifically, OpenAI will now be legally required to mitigate risks associated with the impact of ChatGPT on user mental health, the protection of minors, and the proliferation of illegal content.
Beyond risk mitigation, the DSA imposes strict prohibitions on targeting advertisements to minors or utilizing sensitive personal data—including political beliefs, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation—for ad targeting. Additionally, the law mandates increased transparency regarding the functionality of recommendation algorithms.
Henna Virkkunen, the EU executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, stated that these designations ensure the platforms are held to a higher standard of accountability reflecting their significant impact on society and EU citizens. Full compliance with these rules must be achieved by ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox by the end of December 2026.