Meta Platforms, Inc. is facing allegations from the European Union that it has not done enough to keep children younger than 13 away from Facebook and Instagram, despite the platforms’ own minimum age rules.
In a case tied to the bloc’s Digital Services Act, the European Commission said Meta lacked effective measures to prevent children under 13 from signing up and that it was also not doing enough to identify and remove children after accounts were opened, according to an accusation described by the European Union’s executive branch on Wednesday. The Commission also said Meta’s assessments of the risks to minors were inadequate.
The Commission’s preliminary view pointed to the question of access and what happens after minors get through, including whether the company can spot and remove children in practice. Meta’s own terms set a minimum age of 13 to open accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
The Commission said the problem was not only that children gained access, but also that Meta did not adequately assess the risk that children younger than 13 could be exposed to “age-inappropriate experiences” on the platforms. It said Meta’s approach fell short of what the Digital Services Act requires when platforms make and enforce rules designed to protect minors.
Meta disputed the EU’s findings. In a statement, the company said, “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,” while also adding it would share more next week about additional measures it plans to roll out.
Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president at the European Commission, said the bloc’s investigation that began in 2024 found that Instagram and Facebook “are doing very little” to prevent children from getting access, despite the platforms’ terms and conditions indicating the services are not intended for minors under 13. In her statement, Virkkunen said, “The DSA requires platforms to enforce their own rules: terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users – including children.”
The Commission said Meta now has a chance to respond to the preliminary findings before it issues a final decision. Under the Digital Services Act, violations can result in fines that can reach up to 6% of a company’s worldwide annual revenue.