EU charges Meta: Facebook and Instagram "fail" to protect kids

The European Union has accused Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of breaching major digital rules and failing to adequately protect children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms.

In preliminary findings announced on Wednesday, EU regulators said the company has not done enough to enforce age restrictions or prevent underage users from signing up. The investigation was carried out under the Digital Services Act, a key EU law requiring large technology companies to address illegal and harmful content online, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The European Commission said that between 10% and 12% of children under 13 in Europe are still using Facebook and Instagram, despite official age limits. Regulators argued that existing safeguards are insufficient and that Meta must strengthen its systems to detect and remove underage users more effectively.

EU officials also said the platforms need to improve how they assess risks and ensure that their internal rules translate into real enforcement, not just written policies.

The Commission stressed that online safety rules must be actively implemented, particularly when it comes to protecting minors from exposure to harmful content or inappropriate interactions.

Meta now has the opportunity to respond to the findings and make changes before a final decision is issued. If confirmed, violations of the Digital Services Act could lead to fines of up to 6% of a company’s global annual turnover.

The case marks another escalation in EU scrutiny of major tech firms over child safety and platform accountability.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada