EU: Meta Fails to Effectively Prevent Under-13s from Using FB and IG
The European Union (EU) has stated that US tech giant Meta has failed to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from using its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, warning of the risk of exposure to inappropriate content. This could result in Meta facing massive fines of up to 6% of its annual global revenue.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 19:31
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 20:01 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 02:56 (6h 55m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Brussels 29th, comprehensive foreign report) The European Union today stated that US tech giant Meta has failed to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from using its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, which could lead to them being exposed to inappropriate content, and Meta may therefore face the risk of massive fines.
Agence France-Presse reported that the EU has intensified child online protection measures in recent months, with several member states considering banning social media use for children under 16.
After Australia took the lead in banning social media platforms for those under 16, the EU faces pressure to take broader action. The European Commission is studying whether to implement age restrictions on social media use across the entire EU.
The EU stated that its latest investigation shows Meta has violated digital content-related regulations and has demanded Meta strengthen measures to prevent, detect, and remove Facebook and Instagram accounts of users under 13.
According to Meta's own terms of service, the minimum age for using these social platforms is 13.
However, the EU's preliminary investigation points out that Meta lacks effective measures in enforcing its own age restriction rules, making it difficult to verify whether children create accounts by entering false birth dates.
Citing extensive evidence from various sources, the EU also mentioned that approximately 10% to 12% of children under 13 use Meta's platforms.
EU Commissioner for Technology Affairs, Henna Virkkunen, said: "Terms of service should not just be words on paper; they should be the basis for concrete actions to protect users, including children."
If the EU regulators' findings against Meta are confirmed, the EU could impose fines on Meta of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.
Meta expressed disagreement with the EU's findings, with its spokesperson emphasizing, "We clearly state that Instagram and Facebook are for individuals aged 13 and above, and we have taken steps to detect and remove any accounts that do not meet that age." The company will continue to communicate with the EU. (Compilation: Hung Pei-ying) 1150429
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(Central News Agency, Brussels 29th, comprehensive foreign report) The European Union today stated that US tech giant Meta has failed to effectively prevent children under the age of 13 from using its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, which could lead to them being exposed to inappropriate content, and Meta may therefore face the risk of massive fines.
Agence France-Presse reported that the EU has intensified child online protection measures in recent months, with several member states considering banning social media use for children under 16.
After Australia took the lead in banning social media platforms for those under 16, the EU faces pressure to take broader action. The European Commission is studying whether to implement age restrictions on social media use across the entire EU.
The EU stated that its latest investigation shows Meta has violated digital content-related regulations and has demanded Meta strengthen measures to prevent, detect, and remove Facebook and Instagram accounts of users under 13.
According to Meta's own terms of service, the minimum age for using these social platforms is 13.
However, the EU's preliminary investigation points out that Meta lacks effective measures in enforcing its own age restriction rules, making it difficult to verify whether children create accounts by entering false birth dates.
Citing extensive evidence from various sources, the EU also mentioned that approximately 10% to 12% of children under 13 use Meta's platforms.
EU Commissioner for Technology Affairs, Henna Virkkunen, said: "Terms of service should not just be words on paper; they should be the basis for concrete actions to protect users, including children."
If the EU regulators' findings against Meta are confirmed, the EU could impose fines on Meta of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.
Meta expressed disagreement with the EU's findings, with its spokesperson emphasizing, "We clearly state that Instagram and Facebook are for individuals aged 13 and above, and we have taken steps to detect and remove any accounts that do not meet that age." The company will continue to communicate with the EU. (Compilation: Hung Pei-ying) 1150429
Choose to stand with facts; your every sponsorship is a force for protecting press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted or used without authorization.