Overview
- The European Commission, which issued preliminary findings Wednesday, says Meta failed to stop children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram in violation of the EU’s online safety law for large platforms.
- Investigators found that kids can sign up by entering a false birth date with no effective check to verify age, leaving Meta’s 13+ rule unenforced at account creation.
- The tool for reporting suspected under‑13 accounts is hard to use, requiring up to seven clicks to reach the form, and reports often do not lead to follow‑up or removal.
- EU officials called Meta’s risk assessment incomplete and said it conflicts with evidence that roughly 10–12% of under‑13s in the EU use the apps, exposing younger children to age‑inappropriate content.
- Meta disputes the assessment and can now respond with fixes, while the Commission considers penalties of up to 6% of worldwide turnover and urges countries to adopt an EU age‑verification app.