LONDON — The European Commission on Wednesday said Meta Platforms is failing to prevent underage users from accessing Facebook and Instagram, breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act requirements to protect minors.
The commission’s preliminary findings say Meta lacks effective measures to stop children under 13 from signing up and is not doing enough to identify and remove accounts it believes belong to those underage. Meta’s stated minimum age for Facebook and Instagram accounts is 13.
Beyond access, the probe found Meta inadequately assesses the risk that children younger than 13 will be exposed to “age-inappropriate experiences” on its platforms. The investigation, launched in 2024, concluded Instagram and Facebook “are doing very little” to keep children off the services despite terms and conditions saying they are not intended for under-13s.
Meta disputed the commission’s assessment, saying it has measures to detect and remove accounts for anyone younger than 13 and that age verification is an industry-wide challenge requiring industry-wide solutions. The company added it will announce additional measures next week and will continue to engage with the commission.
Under the DSA, Meta can respond to the preliminary findings before a final decision. Violations can trigger fines up to 6% of a company’s worldwide annual revenue. Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president at the commission, stressed that platforms must enforce their terms and take concrete actions to protect users, including children.