EU Warns Meta to Block Under-13s on Facebook and Instagram

The European Commission issued preliminary findings on April 29 that Meta Platforms has violated the Digital Services Act by failing to adequately prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram. The finding culminates a two-year investigation launched in May 2024 and identifies specific failures: META's age verification at sign-up can be bypassed by false birthdates, and the in-app reporting tool for flagging underage users requires up to seven clicks and is "difficult to use and not effective." Roughly 10–12% of children under 13 are estimated to be using the platforms.

The DSA allows the European Commission to impose fines of up to 6% of Meta's global annual turnover if the preliminary finding is confirmed — a figure that could reach several billion euros given the company's revenue scale. The enforcement action adds to a growing list of regulatory headwinds META faces in Europe, including ongoing Digital Markets Act proceedings related to its pay-or-consent advertising model.

Meta disagreed with the Commission's findings and said it would announce additional protective measures within the coming week. The company has previously argued that robust age verification is technically difficult without government identity infrastructure. The preliminary finding is not a final decision; Meta has the opportunity to respond before any fine is levied. Investors are watching whether this marks an escalation in European platform regulation or a negotiated resolution.

Related Stocks

• META