Meta Faces Potential DSA Violations Over Child Safety on Instagram and Facebook
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings stating that Meta Platforms is violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) by not adequately preventing children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram.
"The Commission claims Meta lacks effective age verification measures and fails to identify and remove underage accounts."
The Commission’s investigation asserts that Meta’s current systems are insufficient to protect minors. The company has long set its minimum age at 13, but regulators argue that enforcement is lacking.
Meta has disagreed with the preliminary findings. The company stated that it already uses detection and removal systems to identify underage users. It also noted that age verification remains an industry-wide challenge and that it plans to announce additional measures to address the issue.
Under the DSA, Meta faces significant financial risk. If the violations are confirmed, the company could be fined up to 6% of its global annual revenue. This represents a substantial penalty designed to enforce stricter compliance with digital safety regulations.
The case highlights the growing tension between major tech platforms and European regulators over the protection of minors online. The Commission’s final decision will determine whether Meta must implement more robust age-gating technologies or face the financial consequences.