Communications apps such as WhatsApp and iMessage have transformed how people message, call and share content with each other worldwide. Their growing popularity has raised regulatory debates, especially on licensing, interoperability, and law enforcement obligations. This Global Trends benchmark provides a comparative update on how 14 jurisdictions are addressing these issues.

Highlights from the research
 

• China, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia remain the only jurisdictions requiring a licence for communications apps.
• The EU is the only jurisdiction mandating interoperability under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
• China and Singapore are the only countries mandating user identity verification. Content scanning obligations may be imposed only in the UK and were proposed in the EU, in both cases, for example to address child sexual abuse material.

The research covers:

• Legal definitions of communications apps and their impact on telecoms markets
• Key regulatory obligations, including licensing and interoperability requirements
• Law enforcement rules on identity verification, data retention, and content scanning.

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