According to the Commission, Meta fails to effectively keep children under 13 years old off its platforms. Although the company officially enforces a minimum age, this is not properly implemented in practice.
A major issue is that young users can easily create an account by providing an incorrect date of birth. The Commission states there are too few checks to verify this information, making it easy to bypass the age limit.
DSA and DMA
The European Commission has pointed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to provisions in the European internet laws DSA and DMA, which set the rules that tech platforms must follow. Former U.S. President Trump previously protested these EU rules, calling them a restriction of the free market.
Promotion
Meta disagrees with this assessment and says its platforms are intended for users aged 13 and over. The company emphasizes that it already takes measures to detect and remove younger users.
Stricter controls
Additionally, Meta indicates it will continue investing in technology to better verify users’ ages. The company claims to be working on new measures to be introduced in the short term.
This matter is part of a broader EU approach to tighten oversight of large tech companies. The emphasis is on protecting minors and limiting risks on social media. If Meta is found to have violated the rules, it may face a hefty fine that could amount to a significant portion of its global revenue.
EU software
This month, the European Commission introduced new software that can verify the age of new users by requiring them to upload a copy of a passport or other official document via a dedicated app. However, this app has not yet been tested in practice.
The European Commission has urged EU member states to adopt this new EU age verification app as soon as possible, so that American companies can no longer claim that "there is no alternative yet."