Meta Platforms is facing renewed pressure in Europe after regulators accused Facebook and Instagram of falling short on child safety protections under the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The case focuses on whether the company is doing enough to stop children under 13 from using its social media platforms, even though both services officially restrict access for that age group.

The European Commission’s preliminary view is that Meta’s current systems are not strong enough to prevent underage users from creating accounts or to detect and remove them once they are already active. Regulators said the issue is not just about having age rules written in the terms of service, but about whether those rules are properly enforced in practice.

The action follows a long-running investigation into Meta’s handling of risks linked to minors. EU officials said their findings suggest that a meaningful share of children below 13 in Europe are still able to access Facebook and Instagram. The Commission estimated that around 10% to 12% of children under 13 in Europe use the two platforms, raising fresh questions about how reliable current age checks are.

Why the EU is challenging Meta’s child safety systems

At the heart of the case is the Digital Services Act, the EU’s major online safety law that requires large digital platforms to assess and reduce risks linked to their services. For companies like Meta, this includes risks involving minors, harmful content, platform design, and systems that may expose users to unsafe experiences.

EU regulators believe Meta has not done enough to enforce its own minimum age policy. Facebook and Instagram require users to be at least 13, but age restrictions on social media platforms have long been difficult to enforce because many services rely heavily on information entered by users themselves.

The Commission has argued that Meta’s measures to identify underage users are inadequate. That includes both the tools used to detect accounts operated by children below the permitted age and the process used to remove those accounts after they are found.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the Commission’s preliminary findings show that Instagram and Facebook are doing too little to prevent children below the minimum age from accessing the services. She also stressed that terms and conditions should lead to concrete protections, rather than remain simple written statements.

The case puts Meta under pressure to show that its age assurance systems, safety checks, and risk assessment methods meet the expectations of European regulators. The Commission has said both Facebook and Instagram must strengthen how they prevent, detect, and remove underage users.

What Meta may need to change next

Meta now has the chance to respond to the EU’s charges before a final decision is issued. The company can also propose changes to address the Commission’s concerns. If regulators remain unsatisfied, the case could lead to major financial penalties.

Under the Digital Services Act, companies found to have breached the rules can face fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover. For a company the size of Meta, that could become a multibillion-dollar risk, making the case important not only for child safety advocates but also for investors tracking regulatory pressure on Big Tech.

The European Commission’s official Digital Services Act framework explains how the law applies to large online platforms and the obligations they face on systemic risks, transparency, and user protection. Readers can view the official EU overview here.

For Meta, the challenge is complex. Stronger age verification could help block underage users, but it may also create privacy concerns if platforms ask for more personal data. Regulators, however, appear to be pushing large platforms toward more effective and measurable safety systems, especially where children are involved.

The case also shows how Europe is moving from broad policy warnings to direct enforcement against major technology companies. The EU has repeatedly said that very large online platforms carry a higher level of responsibility because of their scale and influence. Facebook and Instagram are among the most widely used social networks in the world, which makes their handling of minors a major regulatory concern.

Meta has introduced several safety features over the years, including tools for parents, teen account protections, and content controls. But the latest EU charges suggest regulators want stronger evidence that these systems actually prevent children under the minimum age from using the platforms.

This investigation could also influence how other social media companies handle age checks in Europe. Platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube face similar questions about young users, online safety, and the balance between privacy and protection. If the EU takes a tough final stance against Meta, it may push the wider industry to upgrade age verification and child safety systems more quickly.

The broader issue is whether social media companies can continue relying on basic age declarations when regulators believe children are still getting through at scale. The EU’s position is that platforms must take real action to protect minors, not simply state that underage users are not allowed.

Meta’s next response will be closely watched across the tech industry. The outcome could shape how social platforms verify age, assess child safety risks, and prove compliance with the Digital Services Act in the years ahead.

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