Due to EU ultimatum: tech giants announce user figures
Google, Meta and Twitter are categorised by the European Union (EU) as "very large online platforms". Due to the Digital Service Act (DSA), they will therefore be subject to stricter regulation in the EU in future.
Tell me how big you are and I'll tell you what rules you have to comply with. That's how it works for the big tech companies in the EU at the moment. According to a legislative package, the Digital Service Act, Google, Meta and Twitter had to disclose how many users their services have by mid-February. They met the deadline. These figures of average monthly users were disclosed by the deadline:
- Google Maps: 278.6 million
- Google Play Store: 274.6 million
- Google Search: 332 million
- Google Shopping: 74.9 million
- YouTube: 401.7 million
- Apple App Store: 45 million
- Facebook: 255 million
- Instagram: 250 million
- Tiktok: 125 million
- LinkedIn: 122 million
- Bing: 107 million
- Twitter: 100.9 million
- Snapchat: 96.8 million
With Twitter in particular, it was interesting to see how many users there are, as the company has not yet disclosed this figure. A company is considered "large" if it regularly reaches more than 45 million people with its services. That is around ten per cent of the population living in the EU. With a figure of over 100 million, Twitter is clearly above this threshold.
Platforms such as AliExpress, Amazon and Wikipedia have also informed the EU that they will follow the rules of the DSA, albeit without providing specific figures. The EU authorities are examining the next steps for some other platforms that have reported usage figures below 45 million. Pornhub, Youporn, Onlyfans and Telegram, for example, have reported figures below the 45 million user mark. According to the EU Commission, companies for which the reported figures are dubious will receive further requests. External estimates of usage are also possible.
DSA to regulate powerful companies more closely
For companies that are large by definition, the DSA stipulates, for example, that illegal content on their websites must be removed quickly. Failure to do so could result in severe penalties. It also stipulates that companies must submit an annual risk assessment for harmful content - in this case disinformation and election manipulation - and propose countermeasures. The DSA also stipulates that certain data must be shared with the authorities and research institutions.
For you as a user of a service, for example, it should be possible in future to understand why content was deleted by you. And if you do not agree with this, it must be transparent how you can defend yourself against it. Conversely, you should be able to report illegal content quickly and easily wherever you are.
The EU's Digital Service Act aims to define the role of the few large corporations that have become gatekeepers in the digital space in recent years. According to the EU, they have the "power to act as private rulers". This would create their own rules, making it virtually impossible for new suppliers on the market to successfully attract new customers. As a consequence, this would mean less choice for consumers. The legal framework of the DSA is intended to ensure the safety of users on the internet, protect fundamental rights and "maintain a fair and open online platform environment".
(This article was updated on 28 February 2023; information on additional platforms was added.)
Cover photo: Martin Jungfer
Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.