Europe is preparing to hit Roblox and ChatGPT with its strictest platform rules

[midian182]

Bottom line: Roblox and ChatGPT have both attracted massive user bases despite regularly generating the sort of headlines their owners would rather forget. Now, the European Union is reportedly preparing to place both services under its strictest online platform rules, forcing them to become safer, more transparent, and more accountable. Whether they adhere to these rules is another matter.

Bloomberg reports that the European Commission is preparing to add Roblox and ChatGPT to the Digital Services Act's strictest regulatory category in August. The services would be classed as either Very Large Online Platforms or Very Large Online Search Engines, joining the likes of Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, and Amazon.

The designation applies to services with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU. Both companies have published figures exceeding that threshold, and Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told Reuters that their inclusion was "definitely possible" and could "come sooner or later." That wording could suggest the decision isn't as final as Bloomberg implies.

Once formally designated, the companies would have four months to comply with additional DSA obligations. These include clearer terms and conditions, greater transparency around advertising, recommendation systems, and moderation decisions, and a requirement to report suspected criminal offences.

The platforms must also identify systemic risks involving illegal content, children's rights, public security, elections, discrimination, gender-based violence, and users' mental and physical wellbeing. They then have to take steps to reduce those risks, potentially by redesigning services or changing recommendation systems.

Other requirements include yearly independent audits, internal compliance teams, sharing data with regulators, and allowing vetted researchers to examine platform data. Users must also be offered a recommendation system that is not based on profiling. Companies that fail to comply can face fines of up to 6% of their worldwide annual revenue.

Roblox's inclusion would hardly be surprising. The platform has faced lawsuits from Texas and Louisiana alleging that weak safeguards allowed predators to target children. The company responded with selfie-based age checks, age-separated chat, and an open-source AI system designed to detect signs of child exploitation.

ChatGPT, of course, is dealing with its own growing list of safety controversies. OpenAI faces lawsuits alleging that the chatbot contributed to suicides and other real-world harm, while Florida recently sued the company and Sam Altman over claims that ChatGPT can encourage dangerous behaviour.

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2025

The DSA designation isn't guaranteed to bring sweeping changes to either service – just look at X. Elon Musk's company was already fined €120 million ($137 million) for violations involving deceptive verification, ad transparency, and researcher access, yet few would argue that the platform has transformed into a prime example of online safety. That said, forcing Roblox and OpenAI to explain their systems, expose data to researchers, and address known risks seems preferable to just taking their word that everything is fine.

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Europe is preparing to hit Roblox and ChatGPT with its strictest platform rules

 

[yRaz]

I'm starting to reverse course on these child protection laws. Originally I was very against them but I know too many adults in their 30s and 40s who are basically children.

 

[Megalomaniac]

Why do people rob banks? That's where the money is!

These child predators are always going to figure out where they can engage with children and they'll be there. I argue we should make the laws regarding harming of children draconian and enforce mandatory death sentences for child killers.

 

[godrilla]

I'm starting to reverse course on these child protection laws. Originally I was very against them but I know too many adults in their 30s and 40s who are basically children.

Yep and state is their daddy!

 

[yRaz]

Yep and state is their daddy!

Well jokes aside, I have known some people on disability and sometimes the world is better off of they stay inside on the internet all day. But I also know plenty of people who work who are so incompetent as adults that I'm surprised they can breathe on their own. I constantly am running into people who are afraid to make phone calls or call in bills. A problem with apprentices is they frequently don't pay their union dues because you can only pay them by calling the union hall to pay with your card or mailing them a check. It's $5/m and most people will just mail them a check for $2-300 and not worry about it for a few years. These guys don't know how to write a check and are afraid to call and that's most recent one I had to deal with. That was my Monday, helping all the apprentices pay their union dues.

 

[godrilla]

Well jokes aside, I have known some people on disability and sometimes the world is better off of they stay inside on the internet all day. But I also know plenty of people who work who are so incompetent as adults that I'm surprised they can breathe on their own. I constantly am running into people who are afraid to make phone calls or call in bills. A problem with apprentices is they frequently don't pay their union dues because you can only pay them by calling the union hall to pay with your card or mailing them a check. It's $5/m and most people will just mail them a check for $2-300 and not worry about it for a few years. These guys don't know how to write a check and are afraid to call and that's most recent one I had to deal with. That was my Monday, helping all the apprentices pay their union dues.

From my recollection union dues were being part of payroll automatic deductions from my own experience in being 8 years vested in one and 8 years supervising union employees. I can't blame people living paycheck to paycheck of not being on top of their union fees. I recall some new employees not automatically being enrolled in the deductions while I stayed silent because in the end of the day it's the union responsibility that all employees paying dues are enrolled and paying. Employees don't want more deductions after they already got paid.

 

[yRaz]

From my recollection union dues were being part of payroll automatic deductions from my own experience in being 8 years vested in one and 8 years supervising union employees. I can't blame people living paycheck to paycheck of not being on top of their union fees. I recall some new employees not automatically being enrolled in the deductions while I stayed silent because in the end of the day it's the union responsibility that all employees paying dues are enrolled and paying. Employees don't want more deductions after they already got paid.

It varys by union, it even varies by what union hall you work out of and the apprentices make almost $300 a day, they're fine. Most still live with their parents. Their yearly union dues are less than 5% of a market rate rent payment. But our dues get taken out by a percentage of our checks but the national charter set the minimum q hall can charge is S5. My hall is actually nice and the excess goes to hosting events or union families in need. My union hall does lots of charity work for its members. I had a major leg injury for a mountain biking accident 12 years ago and they took money out of the fund to pay for my insurance, covered my copays and helped with some bills because I didn't qualify for unemployment. There are plenty of union halls that are extremely corrupt but people don't hear about those

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I'm starting to reverse course on these child protection laws. Originally I was very against them but I know too many adults in their 30s and 40s who are basically children.

Those who are willing to give up privacy for security deserve neither.

These platforms, esp finally Roblox, are already violating existing laws, and they are not held accountable. Creating new laws that strip away our rights is not the answer.

 

[yRaz]

Those who are willing to give up privacy for security deserve neither.

These platforms, esp finally Roblox, are already violating existing laws, and they are not held accountable. Creating new laws that strip away our rights is not the answer.

that post was a joke. I've been posting here for over 15 years, you should my writing style by now. Although the people I mention probably think it's a good idea because they are almost unable to take care of themselves.

The "history" class we had senior year was actually taught by a lawyer and it covered things like how to file your taxes, how to interact with a police officer, what our rights are. You know, the normal stuff you should know before being labeled as and adult and let go into the world.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Europe wants to be daddy because it assumes its children are not being parented properly. It's always the most progressive states that assume their constituents should have the least responsibility. It won't be long until tech companies submit and simply lock down their products specifically in Europe before getting approval to roll out features there. If they don't, they'll inevitably face huge fines:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2080314960656159018