Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has been officially accused by the European Commission of violating digital regulations.
These are regulations resulting from the Digital Services Act, which oblige the largest platforms to effectively protect users – including children.
After nearly two years of investigation, Brussels concluded that the company's actions were insufficientas reported by Reuters.
The EU brings charges against Meta. It's about
children under 13 years of age
The most important complaint concerns the lack of effective age control of users.
Even though the platforms' regulations prohibit people under 13 from using them, in practice these restrictions are easy to bypass. According to regulators' findings, even 10-12 percent. children under this age in Europe use Facebook and Instagram.
The EU indicates that current tools:
- they do not effectively detect underage users
- they don't delete their accounts properly
- make it difficult to report violations
The regulations only exist “on paper”, says the European Commission
The European Commission emphasizes that the problem is not the rules themselves, but their enforcement.
As the regulators pointed out, regulations should translate into real actions and not remain only a formal record.
- Read also: Poles want to regulate children's access to social media
Possible financial consequences
The case may have serious consequences for the company. If the allegations are confirmed, Meta may be fined up to 6%. global revenueswrites Reuters.
This is one of the strictest instruments provided for in EU digital regulations.
The company now has the opportunity to respond to the allegations and make changes before a final decision is made.
At the same time, the problem does not concern only one platform. In many countries – including Poland – there is growing pressure to limit children's access to social media, and governments are considering introducing stricter regulations, including raising the minimum age for users.
- Read also: The Polish government wants to ban social media for children. Big tech may have a problem
The case of Facebook and Instagram is part of a broader trend of tightening regulations against technology giants. The European Union increasingly requires not only declarations, but also specific actions.
