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    European Commission Charges Meta Platforms with Violating Digital Services Act for Child Protection Failures

    By A47 News Editorial Team·Low11 articles covering this·13 news sources·Updated 18 days ago·World
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    Infographic showing child safety violations by Meta Platforms under the Digital Services Act.

    Here's what it means for you.

    As a professional navigating the digital landscape, understanding regulatory shifts like this can impact your strategies for user engagement and compliance.

    What happened

    The European Commission charged Meta Platforms on April 29, 2026, for breaching the Digital Services Act by failing to protect children under 13 on Instagram and Facebook.

    The Context

    • Regulatory scrutiny is increasing: The Digital Services Act, enacted in 2022, mandates platforms to mitigate risks to minors, reflecting growing concerns over social media's impact on child well-being.
    • Meta's ongoing challenges: This investigation follows prior EU actions against TikTok and Snapchat, highlighting a trend of accountability for social media firms regarding user safety.
    • Potential financial repercussions: Meta faces fines up to 6% of its global annual turnover, which could significantly affect its financial standing and operational strategies.

    The Number

    10-12%

    of EU children under 13 are using Instagram and Facebook, underscoring the urgency for platforms to enhance age verification and safety measures.

    Takeaway

    As Meta prepares its response, expect ongoing developments in digital compliance that could reshape how platforms manage user safety and age verification.

    11 Articles
    Engadget

    The EU thinks Meta isn't doing enough to protect children

    The European Commission has concluded that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is not doing enough to prevent children under 13 from accessing its platforms, following a preliminary investigation that highlighted significant shortcomi...

    Engadget

    The EU thinks Meta isn't doing enough to protect children

    The European Commission has concluded that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is not doing enough to prevent children under 13 from accessing its platforms, following a preliminary investigation that highlighted significant shortcomi...

    PetaPixel

    Meta Charged by EU Over Failure to Stop Children From Using Instagram and Facebook

    The European Union has charged Meta with breaching the Digital Services Act by failing to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms, Instagram and Facebook. This decision follows a thorough investigation that revealed inadequa...

    NYT — Technology

    Meta Charged With Failing to Keep Children Off Instagram and Facebook in Europe

    European Union regulators have charged Meta with failing to implement effective measures to prevent children under 13 from accessing Instagram and Facebook, violating the Digital Services Act. This ruling follows a nearly two-year investigation into ...

    The New York Times - Technology

    Meta Charged With Failing to Keep Children Off Instagram and Facebook in Europe

    European Union regulators have charged Meta with failing to implement effective measures to prevent children under 13 from accessing Instagram and Facebook, violating the Digital Services Act. This ruling follows a nearly two-year investigation into ...

    TechSpot

    EU says Meta is breaking the law by failing to keep children off Facebook and Instagram

    The European Commission has determined that Meta is violating the Digital Services Act by failing to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. Despite the company's stated age limit of 13, ...

    Silicon Republic

    EU finds Meta not doing enough to keep underage users at bay

    The European Commission has found that Meta has not taken adequate measures to prevent underage users from accessing its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, which are intended for individuals aged 13 and older. This finding is part of an ongoing inves...

    The Verge

    Meta isn’t doing enough to keep kids off Facebook and Instagram, rules EU

    The European Commission has issued a preliminary ruling stating that Meta is not doing enough to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, in violation of the Digital Services Act. This decision follows a nearly two-year invest...

    The Verge — All Posts

    Meta isn’t doing enough to keep kids off Facebook and Instagram, rules EU

    The European Commission has issued a preliminary ruling stating that Meta is not doing enough to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, in violation of the Digital Services Act. This decision follows a nearly two-year invest...

    The Guardian

    Meta found in breach of EU law for failing to keep children off platforms

    The European Commission has found Meta in breach of EU law for failing to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. This conclusion follows a nearly two-year investigation into the company'...

    The Guardian Technology

    Meta found in breach of EU law for failing to keep children off platforms

    The European Commission has found Meta in breach of EU law for failing to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing its platforms, Facebook and Instagram. This conclusion follows a nearly two-year investigation into the company'...

    Techmeme

    The European Commission issues preliminary DSA findings against Meta, saying Instagram and Facebook fail to prevent under-13 users from accessing the services (Gian Volpicelli/Bloomberg)

    The European Commission has issued preliminary findings against Meta Platforms Inc., stating that Instagram and Facebook have failed to prevent users under the age of 13 from accessing their services. This escalation in the investigation highlights o...

    The New York Times

    Meta Charged With Failing to Keep Children Off Instagram and Facebook in Europe

    European Union regulators have charged Meta with failing to implement effective age verification controls on its platforms, Instagram and Facebook, violating the Digital Services Act aimed at enhancing online safety for children. This comes amid ongo...

    Gulf News

    EU says Meta is failing to keep children under 13 off Facebook and Instagram

    The European Union has criticized Meta for its inadequate measures to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, highlighting ongoing concerns about child safety on social media platforms.

    Gulf News

    EU says Meta is failing to keep children under 13 off Facebook and Instagram

    The European Union has criticized Meta for its inadequate measures to prevent children under the age of 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, highlighting ongoing concerns about child safety on social media platforms.

    Emirates 24|7

    EU charges Facebook, Instagram with breaching rules, must do more to protect kids below 13 EU charges Facebook, Instagram with breaching rules, must do more to protect kids below 13

    The European Union has charged Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, with breaching the Digital Services Act by failing to adequately prevent children under 13 from accessing its platforms. This follows a two-year investigatio...

    The Guardian

    Meta found in breach of EU law for failing to keep children off platforms

    The European Commission has determined that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is in breach of EU law for failing to implement effective measures to prevent children under 13 from accessing its platforms. This finding follows a nearl...

    Investing.com

    Facebook, Instagram charged with breaching rules, must do more to protect kids below 13, EU says

    The European Union has charged Facebook and Instagram with breaching regulations aimed at protecting children under 13, emphasizing the need for stronger measures to ensure their safety on these platforms. This follows ongoing scrutiny of social medi...