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EU Considers Applying Tougher Content Rules to WhatsApp Under Digital Services Act

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The European Union is considering making WhatsApp more accountable for tackling illegal and harmful content after the messaging platform crossed a key user threshold under the bloc’s digital regulations, a European Commission spokesperson said on Friday.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, reported about 51.7 million average monthly active users for its WhatsApp Channels service in the European Union during the first six months of 2025. This exceeds the 45 million user threshold set by the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), potentially bringing the service under stricter regulatory oversight.

The DSA imposes tougher obligations on so-called “very large online platforms,” requiring them to take stronger action against illegal and harmful content. Platforms already designated under this category include Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Temu and LinkedIn.

European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the Commission’s focus is on distinguishing between private messaging, which falls outside the scope of the DSA, and public-facing features such as WhatsApp Channels, which function more like social media platforms.

“The objective for the Commission is to check what is actually private messaging, which doesn’t fall under the scope of the DSA, and what are open channels that act more as a social media platform, which do fall under the scope of the DSA,” Regnier told a daily press briefing. He added that the Commission is actively examining the issue and did not rule out formally designating WhatsApp Channels under the DSA.

WhatsApp was not immediately available for comment.
If designated as a very large online platform, WhatsApp could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue for breaches of the DSA.

ByteDance to retain 1 of 7 board seats under U.S.-China TikTok deal

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A U.S.-China agreement on the future of TikTok’s U.S. operations will give ByteDance just one of seven board seats, with the other six held by American directors, a senior White House official said on Saturday.

The deal comes after months of tense negotiations to comply with a 2024 U.S. law requiring TikTok’s American assets to be divested from its Chinese parent or face a ban by January 2025. President Donald Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement, with the latest pause expected to be extended 120 days into April 2025.

Key details of the agreement:

  • Board structure: 7 members, 6 American + 1 ByteDance representative.

  • Data storage: All U.S. user data to be housed on Oracle-run servers inside the U.S.

  • Algorithm control: TikTok’s recommendation algorithm will be secured, retrained, and supervised in the U.S. with American data, outside of ByteDance’s control.

  • Ownership: ByteDance will retain less than 20% of TikTok U.S., while American investors hold a majority stake.

  • Operations: The U.S. entity will be managed domestically by a board with national security and cybersecurity credentials.

Trump has called the deal “well on its way” and credited TikTok for helping his reelection campaign, noting his own 15 million followers on the app. The White House also recently launched an official TikTok account.

However, lawmakers remain skeptical. Rep. Frank Pallone (D) warned:

“We cannot allow China continued access to massive amounts of Americans’ personal data, and we cannot allow Trump to hand TikTok over to his tech bro buddies and turn it into a MAGA mouthpiece.”

Questions also remain over whether the current arrangement qualifies as a “full divestiture” under U.S. law, as required by Congress. Beijing has not confirmed the level of progress, with Chinese statements emphasizing only that business negotiations should respect market rules and domestic laws.

Despite these concerns, the agreement marks a rare breakthrough in U.S.-China relations, with both sides also planning a Trump-Xi summit in South Korea in late October to discuss TikTok, trade, and security issues.

French Investigation into Elon Musk’s X Intensifies with Police Involvement

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The investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X has escalated in France, as the Paris prosecutor’s office called on police to probe suspected abuses involving algorithms and fraudulent data extraction linked to the company or its executives. This development adds mounting pressure on Musk, who has publicly accused European governments of infringing on free speech and has expressed support for several far-right parties across the region.

Authorities in France now have the authority to conduct searches, wiretaps, surveillance, or summon Musk and X executives for questioning. Should any individuals refuse to cooperate, an international arrest warrant could be issued. X has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The preliminary inquiry began in January following complaints from a French lawmaker and a senior official concerning alleged foreign interference via the platform, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated. On July 9, after reviewing initial evidence from researchers and public institutions, prosecutors requested the police to investigate X both as a corporate entity and through individuals.

The suspected offenses include “organized interference with the functioning of an automated data processing system” and “organized fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system.”

This probe into a major tech figure risks intensifying tensions between Washington and European capitals over acceptable online discourse. In a related context, Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, remains under judicial supervision in France after his arrest last year on charges of alleged organized crime related to his app, charges he denies. Musk has criticized Durov’s arrest, which has sparked debates about free speech, including discussions by senior officials aligned with former President Trump.

Musk has actively used X to support right-wing political groups in France, Germany, and Britain. While he previously aligned closely with Trump, the two have diverged recently over federal budget issues, with Musk now pursuing the creation of his own political party.