NPR News4/29/2026TechUnited States
EU Accuses Meta of Failing to Protect Underage Users on Facebook and Instagram
European Commission says social media giant inadequate at preventing children under 13 from accessing platforms under Digital Services Act
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- The European Commission has accused Meta Platforms of violating the Digital Services Act by failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram.
- The EU's investigation launched in 2024 found that Meta does inadequate age verification and fails to remove underage accounts despite its own terms requiring users to be at least 13.
- Meta disputes the findings, citing existing measures to detect and remove under-13 accounts.
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The European Commission has accused Meta Platforms of violating the Digital Services Act by failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram. The EU's investigation launched in 2024 found that Meta does inadequate age verification and fails to remove underage accounts despite its own terms requiring users to be at least 13. Meta disputes the findings, citing existing measures to detect and remove under-13 accounts. The company faces potential fines up to 6% of its worldwide annual revenue.
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This article was originally published by NPR News.
