Latest news with #BIPT
Euronews
02-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Belgian watchdog checking Telegram for EU anti-terror compliance
Messaging app Telegram is being scrutinised by the Belgian telecoms regulator to check whether the platform complies with EU rules combatting terrorist content online. The Belgian Institute of Post and Telecommunications (BIPT) said in its annual report published last week that it received notification of 454 cross-border injunctions last year, all related to content provided through the hosting services of Telegram. 'Given the large number of Telegram users and the number of injunctions issued against Telegram, BIPT conducted an in-depth investigation into Telegram's compliance with the obligations of the Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation in 2024,' the report said, adding that the regulator will continue this exercise in 2025 and extend its control to the other hosting service providers that fall under its jurisdiction. BIPT plans to designate hosting service providers as "exposed to terrorist content online" this year, the report said. Telegram is established as a company in the British Virgin Islands but set up its legal representative for the EU in Brussels, meaning that BIPT oversees the platforms' compliance. The TCO rules entered into force in June 2022 and oblige Hosting Service Providers to remove terrorist content online within one hour after receiving a removal order from a member state's national authority. In case of non-compliance, BIPT could impose a financial penalty amounting to 4% of the provider's worldwide turnover. Telegram has been banned by several governments worldwide, following cases of spreading disinformation and enabling extremism. In the UK for example, the app was used to plan and coordinate anti-immigrant riots last August. Last year, its co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov was detained near Paris over an investigation into alleged offences related to the messaging app, such as organised crime and drug trafficking. Digital Services Act BIPT is also overseeing Telegram's compliance with the EU's online platform rules, the Digital Services Act (DSA). Telegram claims it has 41 million monthly average users in the EU which is below the threshold of 45 million per month required to be qualified as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) and be checked by the European Commission. BIPT said it received some 10 complaints related to possible breaches of the DSA, 'the majority concerned Telegram.' It worked together with authorities in the Netherlands and Estonia to resolve the issues, the report said.
Euronews
19-02-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Whatsapp faces strictest EU platform rules, but not Telegram
Meta's messaging app Whatsapp is the latest platform to face the strictest requirements under the EU's platform rules. The platform said in its transparency report that it has reached 46.8 million monthly average users in the EU, which is more than the threshold of 45 million active users to be considered a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). From the moment of designation, the platform has four months to comply with the rules. A formal date for when this will take place has not yet been communicated. Under the DSA, VLOPs are obliged to strengthen consumer protection and fundamental rights, prevent the spread of illegal content and ensure increased transparency on algorithms and content moderation. Meta's other services Facebook and Instagram are already part of the list of VLOPs, and are subject to ongoing Commission investigations regarding possible breaches of the DSA. Messaging app Telegram, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, does not yet exceed 45 million monthly users in the bloc, a spokesperson for the Belgian Digital Services Coordinator told Euronews. The Belgian Institute of Post and Telecommunications (BIPT) is waiting for the Commission to publish a delegated act on the calculation of the average number of monthly users. This could 'potentially have an impact on the way figures are counted and published,' the spokesperson said. 'BIPT considers it unlikely that Telegram will exceed the 45 million threshold at this time,' the regulator added. Telegram has established its EU headquarters in Belgium, meaning that until it becomes a Very Large Online Platform, BIPT is in charge of its DSA compliance. The platform's founder previously said that he thinks the company will hit one billion users worldwide in 2024. The app – which is headquartered in Dubai – currently also claims to have passed 900 million active monthly users globally. Whatsapp designation brings the total number of Very Large Online Platforms under DSA to 26. It also includes Google, Amazon, LinkedIn, Temu and Shein.
