The European Commission has launched an in-depth investigation into Meta for the possible violation of the EU rules contained in the Digital Services Act (DSA) for the protection of minors. Brussels fears that “Facebook and Instagram’s systems, including their algorithms, may stimulate behavioral addictions in children” and “create effects” of isolation and depression that are risky for their mental health. The age verification methods implemented by Meta are also under scrutiny.
“We are not convinced that Meta has done enough to comply with the obligations of the Digital Services Act to mitigate the risks of negative effects on the physical and mental health of young Europeans on its Facebook and Instagram platforms,” underlined the EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton.
The group led by Mark Zuckerberg had already been warned in November about possible violations against the protection of minors, but its responses to formal requests from Brussels were not considered reassuring. The EU investigation concerns, in detail, Meta’s compliance with obligations regarding risk assessment and mitigation in the design of Facebook and Instagram interfaces,
“which can exploit the weaknesses and inexperience of minors and cause addictive behavior” and “reinforce” the most harmful effects on mental health.
Brussels will also evaluate the Menlo Park company’s compliance with the requirements necessary to prevent children and adolescents from accessing inappropriate content, in particular age verification tools which – it is suspected – “may not be reasonable, proportionate and effective “.
The investigation will be conducted as a priority and will allow the EU executive to continue to accumulate evidence and put pressure on Meta to improve its action to protect adolescents. During the investigation, Breton’s team will have the power to adopt provisional measures and non-compliance decisions. For those who violate the rules, the Digital Services Act provides for fines of up to 6% of the companies’ global annual turnover and, in case of repeat violations, a ban on operating in Europe.
Last April 22, the EU, moved by the same fears relating to the protection of teenagers, opened an investigation into TikTok, leading a few days later the popular Chinese social network to suspend its prize program on the Lite app in France and in Spain.
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