EU finds Meta failing to stop under-13s accessing Facebook, Instagram

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Brussels: The European Union has formally warned Meta for failing to keep children under 13 off Facebook and Instagram. An investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA) revealed that the company’s age-verification measures are easily bypassed by entering false birth dates, while its tools for reporting underage accounts are too complex to be effective.

Regulators estimate that 10% to 12% of children under 13 in the EU are active on these platforms, exposing them to inappropriate content and ‘addictive’ designs.

The EU asserts that Meta’s safety terms are mere ‘written statements’ without the concrete enforcement needed to protect minors' mental and physical well-being.

Meta disputes the findings, claiming it uses advanced technology to remove underage users. However, if the EU's preliminary views are confirmed and Meta fails to provide remedies, the tech giant faces massive fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.