The European Commission has formally charged Meta Platforms for allegedly failing to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms, in violation of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
The charges, announced on Wednesday, follow a two-year investigation into whether the social media company has complied with regulations requiring major technology firms to curb illegal and harmful online content.
According to the Commission’s preliminary findings, Meta has not sufficiently enforced its own age restrictions on Facebook and Instagram. Regulators said existing systems for identifying and removing underage users remain inadequate, despite explicit rules prohibiting children under 13 from using the platforms.
The Commission estimates that between 10 and 12 per cent of children under 13 in Europe currently use Facebook and Instagram, raising concerns about exposure to harmful content and the lack of effective safeguards.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen criticised the company’s approach, stating: “Our preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing very little to prevent children below this age from accessing their services.”
She added: “Terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children.”
The Commission said Meta would be required to overhaul its risk assessment processes and significantly strengthen measures to prevent, detect, and remove underage users from its platforms.
