European Union officials announced Wednesday that Meta Platforms faces formal charges for failing to adequately safeguard children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, marking a significant enforcement action under the bloc’s digital protection laws.
The accusations stem from a comprehensive two-year investigation conducted by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act, legislation designed to force major technology companies to better address harmful and illegal material on their platforms.
According to EU investigators, Meta’s current safeguards are insufficient to prevent underage users from creating accounts, and the company’s methods for identifying and removing children who do gain access fall short of regulatory standards.
The investigation revealed that between 10 and 12 percent of European children under the age of 13 are currently using Facebook and Instagram services.
“Our preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing very little to prevent children below this age from accessing their services,” stated EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen.
“Terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children,” Virkkunen added in her official statement.
European regulators are demanding that Meta overhaul its risk evaluation processes and implement stronger protective measures to prevent, identify, and remove underage users from both social media platforms.
Meta now has the opportunity to address these allegations and implement corrective actions before the Commission reaches a final determination. Companies found in violation of the Digital Services Act face potential financial penalties reaching up to 6 percent of their worldwide annual revenue.
