The Straits Times World News
· collected 2026-08-31 · by The Straits Times
The European Union has added ChatGPT to a list of digital services subject to greater legal scrutiny, making it the first AI chatbot to face tougher EU rules. The designation, which also applies to Reddit and Roblox, comes with additional obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) that include assessing and mitigating systemic risks related to content dissemination and user well-being. According to the commission, ChatGPT has over 45 million monthly active users in the EU, meeting the threshold for the "very large" designation. The three platforms have four months to comply with the DSA's regulations, which aim to regulate Big Tech's impact on society and protect fundamental rights.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-31,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
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Story summary
The European Union has added ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, to a list of digital services subject to greater legal scrutiny, making it the first AI chatbot to face tougher safety rules. This comes after August 31st, when the EU also designated Reddit and Roblox as "very large" online platforms, requiring them to meet additional obligations and be held accountable for their impact on society. To qualify as a "very large" platform, a service must have more than 45 million monthly active users in the European Union, which all three platforms reportedly meet. As part of this new designation, they have four months to comply with regulations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which includes assessing and mitigating risks related to illegal content, minors, and user well-being.
Written for “ChatGPT EU Regulation” on 2026-08-31,
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Leaning score withheld for article 3299: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-08-31
ChatGPT becomes first AI chatbot to face tougher EU rules
AI generated
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ChatGPT → become → rules
ChatGPT will have to comply with tougher safety rules after the EU added it on Aug 31 to a list of digital services subject to greater legal scrutiny, a first for an artificial intelligence chatbot.
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EU → have → chatbot
Brussels also designated Reddit and Roblox as “very large” online platforms, a label that comes with additional obligations and oversight.
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that → designate → obligations
“ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union, in line with their large impact on our citizens and society,” EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said.
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Virkkunen → hold → citizens
The “very large” designation applies to platforms and search engines with more than 45 million monthly active users in the 27-nation bloc, a threshold ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox reported meeting, the commission said.
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commission → apply → bloc
The three now have four months to comply with additional obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a content law that is a major weapon in the legal armoury the EU has deployed to rein in Big Tech in recent years.
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EU → have → years
These include “assessing and mitigating the systemic risks stemming from their service and algorithmic systems related to the dissemination of illegal content, the negative effects on minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security,” Brussels said.
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Brussels → include → minors
To bring it under the DSA’s regulatory umbrella, the commission qualified ChatGPT as a search engine.
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commission → bring → engine
Lena-Maria Boswald, of the German tech think tank Interface, said ahead of the announcement that the expected move would set a “precedent” and “influence the regulatory expectations for every large generative AI system used in the EU”.
“OpenAI already has risk-management obligations under the AI Act, but the DSA could widen the scope,” she said.
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she → say → scope
The widened scrutiny will also apply to Roblox, a gaming platform that lets people build their own games and share them with others, and Reddit, the popular online forum.
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people → apply → others
The designations come as the EU has stepped up regulatory enforcement against the world’s biggest digital platforms, including many American ones, despite strong US pushback and threats of retaliation.
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EU → come → retaliation
It recently told TikTok, one of the about 30 other listed platforms, to change what it deemed its addictive design or face heavy fines.
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it → tell → fines
And in 2025, it hit Elon Musk’s social media platform X with a €120 million (S$177 million) fine for breaching transparency obligations and other violations.
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it → hit → obligations
