Waze faces stricter EU rules as platform reaches key user threshold
After surpassing 50 million monthly users, Waze is required to strengthen its content moderation efforts.
Alphabet’s mapping app, Waze, must strengthen efforts to combat illegal online content after exceeding the user threshold under EU regulations.
The European Commission confirmed Waze reported 50.5 million average monthly users in the second half of 2024, surpassing the 45 million mark set by the Digital Services Act (DSA). This designation means Waze must comply with stricter content moderation and transparency obligations.
Three adult content platforms—Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos—could see a reduction in regulatory scrutiny after reporting lower user numbers.
Previously classified as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), the sites recorded average monthly users below the required threshold in late 2024. The European Commission acknowledged that a delisting is possible, though general DSA rules would still apply.
The Commission is reviewing platform data and expects to issue decisions within two months. Companies failing to meet DSA requirements could face penalties of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
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