The European Commission has designated ChatGPT as a "Very Large Online Search Engine" under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), meaning OpenAI must now take greater responsibility for mitigating risks tied to the chatbot's effects on minors, users' mental health, and the spread of illegal content. Reddit and Roblox have simultaneously been classified as "Very Large Online Platforms" under the same law, subjecting all three services to stricter EU oversight given their scale and influence over citizens.

The DSA designation applies to services with at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU, and it bars platforms from targeting adverts at minors or using sensitive data such as sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity or political beliefs for ad targeting. It also compels greater transparency around how recommendation algorithms function. ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox now have until the end of December 2026 to comply, with EU tech sovereignty chief Henna Virkkunen stating the move ensures the platforms face "a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability" in line with their societal impact.