EU Calls out Meta over Kids Slipping onto Facebook and Instagram

With input from NPR, the New York Times, Reuters, CNBC, Bloomberg, the Financial Times.

Regulators in European Commission are taking aim at Meta Platforms, saying the company isn’t doing nearly enough to keep under-13s off Facebook and Instagram.

The accusation lands under the bloc’s sweeping Digital Services Act, which forces major platforms to actively protect users – especially minors. Brussels’ early findings? Meta’s guardrails look flimsy.

Kids are still getting through. Too easily, regulators say. Signing up with a fake birthday takes little effort, and once younger users are in, the systems meant to flag or remove them don’t seem to do much. Even reporting an underage account can feel like a chore, with multiple steps and no guarantee of action afterward.

The concern isn’t just access. Officials say Meta also isn’t fully grappling with what happens after kids get in – specifically, exposure to content and experiences that aren’t meant for them.

Meta isn’t backing down. The company says it already has tools to detect and remove underage users and argues that figuring out someone’s real age online is a problem the entire industry is still wrestling with. More updates on new safety measures are expected soon, it says.

Still, pressure is building. If the Commission’s findings hold, Meta could face fines worth up to 6% of its global revenue – not exactly pocket change.

This fight has been brewing for a while. Scrutiny around child safety on social platforms has ramped up globally, with governments from United Kingdom to Australia weighing stricter rules, even outright bans for younger teens.

Inside Europe, officials are signaling patience is running thin. Rules on paper aren’t enough anymore. Platforms are expected to enforce them – or pay the price.