The European Union has issued a fresh warning to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, stating that the social media giant is not doing enough to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms. According to a report by Reuters, EU regulators have released preliminary findings accusing Meta of violating the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA) following a two-year investigation. The regulators claim that the company's measures to identify and remove underage users remain inadequate. Meta has denied these allegations and announced plans to introduce additional safeguards next week. If the violations are confirmed, the company could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.
EU Says Meta's Safeguards Are Inadequate
The European Commission asserts that Meta has failed to properly enforce its own rules prohibiting children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram. Regulators estimate that between 10% and 12% of children under 13 in Europe are currently active on these platforms. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told Reuters, 'Our preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing very little to prevent children below this age from accessing their services. Terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children.' The Commission has demanded that both platforms revise their risk assessment methods and strengthen systems designed to prevent, detect, and remove underage users.
What Meta Said in Response
Meta has expressed disagreement with the EU's preliminary findings. The company stated that it already has systems in place to detect and remove accounts belonging to users under 13. A Meta spokesperson told Reuters, '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.' Meta also indicated that it plans to announce additional measures next week. It is important to note that these preliminary findings are not a final ruling. Meta now has the opportunity to respond to the charges and implement changes before the European Commission issues a final decision. Under the Digital Services Act, companies found in violation can face penalties of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
