Investing.com -- Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL )'s mapping application, Waze, has been urged to increase efforts in managing illegal online content following a surge in its user base that places it under stricter European Union (EU) tech regulations. Meanwhile, three adult content websites could potentially experience relaxed regulations after their user numbers dipped below the regulatory threshold.
The Digital Services Act (DSA), which was enacted in the previous year, stipulates that online platforms with over 45 million average monthly users in the 27-member EU are categorized as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs). These platforms are subject to more stringent regulations.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier confirmed via email that Waze's published user numbers have surpassed the DSA threshold, qualifying it as a VLOP. According to a Google filing on February 14, Waze had an average of 50.5 million monthly users from July to December 2024.
On the other hand, adult content websites Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos, which were previously classified as VLOPs in December 2023, have reported a decline in user numbers in the second half of last year.
Regarding these three platforms, Regnier stated that a possible undesignation under the DSA could occur if a VLOP's user numbers fall below the stipulated threshold. However, the general obligations under the DSA would still apply to these platforms.
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