EU designates ChatGPT, Reddit, Roblox as very large platforms

The European Commission has designated ChatGPT as a "Very Large Online Search Engine" under the Digital Services Act, marking the first time an AI chatbot has been brought under the bloc's strictest online safety regime. The decision, announced on August 31, 2026, also classified the social media forum Reddit and the gaming platform Roblox as "Very Large Online Platforms." All three services now have four months to comply with enhanced obligations or face potential fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover. The designations apply to services that surpass a threshold of 45 million monthly active users in the European Union. OpenAI reported that ChatGPT's search function averaged 159 million monthly active users in the bloc for the six months ending March 2026. Reddit reported 57.2 million monthly users, while Roblox had roughly 48 million, placing all three well above the regulatory threshold. The classification of ChatGPT as a search engine is a significant regulatory step. The Commission described it as a "hybrid service" that qualifies because it can engage with user queries and search the web to generate responses.