EU Accuses Meta of Failing to Protect Minors on Facebook and Instagram Under Digital Services Act

EU Cites Meta for Failing to Protect Minors on Facebook and Instagram

The European Union has accused Meta Platforms of violating the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) by failing to adequately prevent underage users from accessing Facebook and Instagram. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, stated that Meta lacks effective measures to block children under 13 from signing up and does not do enough to identify and remove accounts once they are created.

Meta’s own policies set the minimum age for account creation on Facebook and Instagram at 13. However, the European Commission argues that the company is not only failing to enforce this rule but is also inadequately assessing the risks of exposing children to age-inappropriate content on its platforms.

Meta Responds to EU Accusations

Meta has disputed the European Commission’s findings, asserting that it has implemented measures to detect and remove accounts belonging to users under 13. In a statement, the company emphasized that age verification remains a “industry-wide challenge” that requires collaborative solutions across the tech sector.

“Understanding age is an industry-wide challenge, which requires an industry-wide solution, and we will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission on this important issue. We will have more to share next week about additional measures we plan to roll out soon.”

Digital Services Act: Stricter Regulations for Tech Giants

The European Commission’s preliminary findings are part of an ongoing investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a comprehensive set of regulations designed to hold tech companies accountable for content moderation and user protection. The DSA requires companies operating in the EU’s 27 member states to take proactive steps to clean up online platforms and safeguard internet users, particularly minors.

Meta now has the opportunity to respond to these preliminary findings before the European Commission issues a final decision. If found in violation, Meta could face hefty fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

European Commission Highlights Inadequate Enforcement

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, stated that the investigation, which began in 2024, revealed that Instagram and Facebook are “doing very little” to prevent underage access despite their terms and conditions explicitly stating that the services are not intended for children under 13.

The DSA requires platforms to enforce their own rules: terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children.

The European Commission’s findings underscore the urgency of stronger enforcement to ensure that tech platforms comply with regulations aimed at protecting vulnerable users.