Facebook, Instagram Charged With Breaching Rules, Must Do More to Protect Kids Below 13, EU Says

The European Union has charged Meta's Facebook and Instagram with breaching the Digital Services Act, accusing the platforms of failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing their services.

EU regulators said Wednesday that Meta does not do enough to enforce its own age restrictions and that measures to identify and remove underage users are inadequate. According to the Commission, 10 to 12 percent of children under 13 in Europe use Facebook and Instagram despite the platforms' stated minimum age requirements.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement: "Our preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing very little to prevent children below this age from accessing their services. Terms and conditions should not be mere written statements, but rather the basis for concrete action to protect users — including children."

The charges follow a two-year investigation under the Digital Services Act, which requires large tech platforms to take stronger action against illegal and harmful content. Meta can respond to the charges and implement changes before the Commission issues a final decision. Breaches of the DSA can result in fines of up to 6 percent of a company's global annual turnover.

**What This Means For You:** This is a significant escalation in the EU's efforts to hold Big Tech accountable for child safety. If you're a parent, the data suggests age verification on social platforms remains largely ineffective. Watch for Meta's response — and whether these regulatory pressures lead to actual changes in how platforms verify age, or just more promises in terms of service.