Meta Platforms Inc.’s messaging app, WhatsApp, is set to come under tighter oversight as the European Union steps up scrutiny of social media platforms.

The European Commission plans to classify WhatsApp’s open channels as a “Very Large Online Platform” under the bloc’s Digital Services Act, a designation that will subject it to tougher rules on content moderation and transparency, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter on Tuesday.

Channels on WhatsApp function as open feeds linked to news outlets or public figures, making them comparable to traditional social media platforms.

According to sources, the European Commission has sent Meta a letter notifying the company of WhatsApp’s forthcoming designation under the Digital Services Act, though no official announcement date has been set.

The designation already applies to Meta’s Facebook and Instagram.

In its latest transparency report, WhatsApp disclosed that it has 46.8 million monthly active users in the EU — surpassing the 45 million threshold required for designation as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act.

Under the DSA, any platform with more than 45 million monthly users in Europe qualifies as a Very Large Online Platform, a category that includes most major tech firms.

Amazon Inc. is currently challenging its designation in court.

The move could further strain relations between the European Union and United States President Donald Trump, who has accused the bloc of unfairly targeting American technology companies and has previously threatened tariffs in retaliation for EU fines against U.S. firms.

Once officially designated, the platform will have four months to comply with the DSA’s obligations, though the European Commission has yet to announce a formal date for this.