To investigate if Meta, the company that operates Facebook and Instagram, has violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) in any ways that could compromise the safety of children, the European Commission has opened legal proceedings. Concerns have been raised about the possibility that these platforms, and particularly their algorithms, could be pushing children toward behavioral addictions and causing “rabbit-hole effects.” They’re also investigating Meta’s process for determining and validating its users’ ages.

Key Concerns

Three primary areas are being examined by the investigation:

1. Risk Assessment and Mitigation: The Commission is interested in learning if Meta is evaluating and mitigating risks resulting from Facebook and Instagram’s design in accordance with DSA regulations. These designs could exploit the inexperience of youngsters, encouraging “rabbit-hole” consequences or addictive behavior. In order to respect children’s rights and safeguard their physical and emotional well-being, this action is essential.
2. Age-Verification Tools: They are examining the effectiveness, fairness, and balance of Meta’s age-verification tools. These resources are essential for shielding children from objectionable material.
3. 3. Measures for Privacy and Security: The Commission is also evaluating whether Meta satisfies DSA requirements for protecting the safety, security, and privacy of minors. Examining the default privacy settings and the operation of recommendation systems are part of this.

Potential Rule Breaches

If the concerns are confirmed, Meta might be found violating several DSA articles:

• Article 28: Online protection of minors
• Article 34: Risk assessment
• Article 35: Mitigation of risks

Next Steps