tech
May 1, 2026
EU accuses Meta of allowing children under 13 access to Facebook and Instagram
It also accuses the company of failing to comply with its obligations to assess and minimize risks to minors imposed by the European Digital Services Act (DSA).
TL;DR
- The EU has accused Meta of violating community rules and its own terms by allowing minors under 13 to access Instagram and Facebook.
- This accusation is part of a preliminary investigation by the European Commission, which could lead to a fine of up to 6% of Meta's annual turnover.
- The EU is reinforcing child protection online and considering a minimum age for social media access across the bloc.
- Meta's own terms state a minimum age of 13 for Instagram and Facebook, but the EU claims Meta's measures to enforce this are ineffective.
- The European Commission cited evidence that 10-12% of children under 13 access these platforms.
- Meta is also accused of failing to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) regarding risk assessment and minimization for minors.
- The EU has similar ongoing investigations into Snapchat and TikTok regarding child protection measures.
- The EU recently launched an age verification tool for member states looking to restrict minors' access to social media.