Meta faces EU criticism over underage access to Instagram, Facebook

The European Commission's preliminary finding against Meta marks a significant escalation in the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of social media platforms' responsibilities towards younger users. The core of the Commission's criticism lies in Meta's alleged failure to implement effective age-verification mechanisms, thereby allowing children under 13 to access platforms like Instagram and Facebook, in direct violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA).

From Brussels' perspective, this is not merely a technical oversight but a systemic failure to adequately assess and mitigate risks. The Commission points to Meta's own terms of service, which set the minimum age at 13, yet highlights the ineffectiveness of the company's enforcement measures. The ease with which children can falsify their birth dates and the convoluted reporting process for identifying underage users are cited as evidence of this inadequacy.

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Meta's assessment contradicts large bodies of evidence from all over the European Union indicating that roughly 10-12% of children under 13 are accessing Instagram and/or Facebook.

This action by the European Commission aligns with a broader European trend towards stricter digital regulation. Several EU member states are considering or implementing social media bans for older teenagers, while initiatives like age-verification apps and digital wallets are being developed to enhance online safety. Ireland's proposed digital wallet, for instance, aims to use national identification numbers for age verification, reflecting a commitment to robust digital identity solutions.

The Commission's stance is further bolstered by evidence suggesting a substantial percentage of under-13s are already active on these platforms. This exposure, the Commission argues, places vulnerable young users at risk of encountering age-inappropriate content and experiencing potential harms, a concern that Meta's current risk assessment methodology apparently fails to fully address. The implication is clear: Meta must fundamentally revise its approach to protecting minors online.

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Meta's own terms and conditions setting the minimum age to access Instagram and Facebook safely at 13, the measures put in place by the company to enforce these restrictions 'do not seem to be effective'.