European Commission says Meta failed to prevent children under 13 from accessing Instagram and Facebook and violated the Digital Services Act by not adequately assessing or mitigating risks to minors. The commission has issued preliminary findings requiring stronger age verification and risk-mitigation measures, with potential fines up to 6% of annual core revenue if violations are confirmed. #Meta #DigitalServicesAct
Keypoints
- European Commission found Meta failed to prevent children under 13 accessing Instagram and Facebook, breaching the Digital Services Act.
- Meta relies on self-declared ages with no effective enforcement, allowing underage users to provide fake birthdays.
- The commission cites evidence that about 10–12% of children under 13 are using Instagram or Facebook across the EU.
- Meta must overhaul risk assessments, improve age verification, and remove underage accounts or face fines up to 6% of annual core revenue.
- An ongoing probe is examining whether Meta’s platform design requirements protect against addiction and safeguard users’ mental health.
Read More: https://therecord.media/european-commission-accuses-meta-of-breaching-digital-child-safety-laws