EU warns Meta: Facebook and Instagram must do more to block under-13 on their platforms

The European Union (EU) has a new warning for Facebook and Instagram parent Meta. The EU has warned the social media giant that it is not doing enough to stop children under 13 from accessing its sites.

According to a report by the news agency Reuters, EU regulators issued preliminary findings accusing Meta of breaching the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) after a two-year investigation. Regulators said the company’s efforts to identify and remove underage users remain inadequate. Meta has denied the allegations and said it plans to introduce additional measures next week. The company could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if violations are confirmed.

EU says Meta’s safeguards are inadequate

According to the European Commission, Meta has failed to properly enforce its own rules that prohibit children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram. Regulators said between 10% and 12% of children under 13 in Europe are currently using the platforms.“Our preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing very little to prevent children below this age from accessing their services,” EU tech chief, Henna Virkkunen told Reuters.

“Terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children,” she added.The Commission said both platforms need to revise their risk assessment methods and strengthen systems that prevent, detect and remove underage users.

What Meta said in response

Meta said it disagrees with the EU’s preliminary findings. The company said it already has systems in place to detect accounts belonging to users under 13 and remove them.“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,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters. The company also said it plans to announce additional measures next week.However, it's important to note that the preliminary findings are not a final ruling. Meta now has an opportunity to respond to the charges and make changes before the European Commission issues a final decision. Under the Digital Services Act, companies found violating the rules can face penalties of up to 6% of global annual revenue.