The European Commission is preparing to designate OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) and the gaming platform Roblox as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA), according to reports from Bloomberg and other outlets. If the Commission confirms the move as soon as August, both services would have just four months to comply with the EU’s most demanding online rules, including systemic risk audits, mandatory transparency reporting, and direct oversight by Brussels.

The EU’s Next Step in Platform Regulation

On the verge of a formal decision, the Commission has yet to issue an official announcement, but multiple news reports indicate that the threshold for the DSA’s strictest tier—45 million monthly active users in the EU—has been met. OpenAI’s own disclosures show that ChatGPT Search alone averaged about 159.1 million monthly active recipients in the EU for the six months ending March 31, 2026, a figure well above the cutoff. Earlier data, covering the six months to September 2025, put the number at around 120.4 million. Roblox, a social gaming giant heavily used by children and teenagers, similarly exceeds the user threshold.

The designations differ: ChatGPT Search would be classified as a VLOSE, a category previously reserved for the largest search engines like Google and Bing, while Roblox would join a list of VLOPs that includes social media networks, e-commerce sites, and online marketplaces. The DSA applies extra obligations to these very large services, ranging from detailed risk assessments to annual independent audits, and the regulator can levy fines of up to 6% of the company’s global annual revenue for non-compliance.

It’s important to note that this is about ChatGPT’s web-search feature, not the entire ChatGPT platform. An OpenAI spokesperson told Euractiv that the usage figures they publish count only search-related activity, not the chatbot’s broader functions. So, while a designation would not directly regulate every interaction you have with the ChatGPT Windows desktop app or the standard conversational AI, it would require changes specifically around how the search feature surfaces results, handles content removal notices, and explains its ranking decisions.

For Roblox, a platform where millions of users create and join games, trade virtual items, and communicate, the VLOP label introduces new formal duties around child safety, illegal content, and the risks that its recommendation algorithms might pose to minors and other vulnerable groups.

From Your Desktop: How These Rules Could Change ChatGPT and Roblox

For the everyday Windows user who relies on ChatGPT Search to find information or dives into Roblox for gaming, these upcoming regulations could produce a mix of visible tweaks and behind-the-scenes adjustments. Here is a practical breakdown.

For ChatGPT Search Users

  • You might see clearer labeling of why certain search results appear, along with easier tools to flag problematic content. The law pushes platforms to be more transparent about their ranking mechanisms.
  • The search feature could get a dedicated area for reporting unlawful material, and OpenAI would be required to process those reports faster and more transparently.
  • If you’re a power user or developer who taps into ChatGPT’s search via API or integrates it into workflows, expect additional data-access provisions. The DSA mandates that researchers and, in some cases, regulators can examine how the algorithms work under certain conditions—potentially leading to more insights into the model’s behavior.
  • However, the new rules might also limit some functionality in the EU, similar to how Google has adjusted search results for EU users or how certain platforms have restricted features to comply with local regulations.

For Roblox Players and Parents

  • Roblox will have to conduct formal risk assessments specifically focused on the protection of minors. That means its existing safety features—such as chat filters, content moderation, and age-appropriate game design—will face an outside audit and more rigorous scrutiny.
  • Expect further rollout of parental controls, more granular privacy settings for children, and possibly restrictions on how the platform can recommend games or social interactions to younger users.
  • Creators and developers on Roblox might notice changes in how their content is surfaced or flagged, as the platform strengthens its compliance around illegal or harmful material. This could affect game visibility and monetization.
  • If you’re a parent with a child on Roblox, the designation could speed up the introduction of more robust safety tools; keep an eye on Roblox’s official announcements for new account settings.

For IT Professionals and Enterprise Windows Users

  • Organizations that deploy ChatGPT in a work setting should monitor whether the VLOSE status leads to region-specific product variations, such as locked-down search features or altered data-handling practices for EU-based employees. This could affect compliance with internal policies or data-protection obligations.
  • The supervisory fee that VLOPs and VLOSEs pay to the Commission might be passed on in some form, though it’s unlikely to immediately alter consumer pricing given the early stage.

A Timeline of Stricter Digital Oversight in the EU

The DSA became fully applicable to all online platforms in the EU in February 2024, but its tiered system meant that the very largest services immediately faced the heaviest obligations. The Commission designated the first batch of VLOPs and VLOSEs in April 2023, covering household names like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google Search, and Bing.

The law requires companies to self-report user numbers annually, and the Commission regularly reviews whether any service has crossed the 45 million user threshold. This process has already caught other services, and now it appears to have identified two more.

ChatGPT’s search feature launched in phases, with a public release in October 2024 that integrated real-time web retrieval into the ChatGPT interface. Its rapid adoption in Europe—where it competes directly with traditional search engines—likely accelerated the user count.

Roblox, founded in 2004 and publicly listing in 2021, has boomed into a metaverse-like ecosystem. Its user base in the EU has grown steadily, especially among children and young teens, drawing regulatory attention well before the DSA. The platform had already been implementing measures like mandatory age-appropriate privacy settings and enhanced content moderation, but a formal VLOP designation would codify and expand those efforts under binding EU law.

No Immediate Action Required, but Awareness Is Key

For most Windows users, there is no immediate step to take. The designations have not been formally announced, and even if they come in August, the four-month compliance window means noticeable changes likely wouldn’t land until late 2026. However, staying informed can help you navigate the coming tweaks.

  • If you regularly use ChatGPT Search, bookmark OpenAI’s EU compliance page or its official blog for updates. When the VLOSE obligations kick in, you may find new options to manage how your search data is handled or to appeal content decisions.
  • For Roblox families, log into your child’s account periodically and review privacy and safety settings. Roblox has already been adding controls; a VLOP designation will accelerate that trend, and you’ll want to take advantage of any new granular controls as they appear.
  • Developers and power users who rely on ChatGPT’s search APIs should watch for documentation changes from OpenAI that reflect EU-specific requirements, such as new endpoints for transparency data or changes to the terms of service.

What’s Next for Platform Regulation and Your Apps

A formal Commission decision could trigger legal pushback from the companies, as earlier designations have sometimes been challenged in court. But assuming the process moves forward, expect the EU’s regulatory footprint on AI search and gaming to grow rapidly.

Microsoft’s own Bing search engine is already designated as a VLOSE, meaning the company has direct experience with these rules—experience that could prove instructive as the obligations around ChatGPT Search become clearer. If you use both services, you might notice converging patterns in how search transparency tools are built.

For Roblox, a successful compliance effort could set a precedent for other gaming and social platforms with large child audiences, potentially raising the safety baseline industry-wide. The DSA’s framework is still evolving, and how this first wave of AI and gaming companies adapt will likely shape future policy.