The pressure on Meta Platforms is rising again in Europe, and this time the issue is serious enough to potentially hit the company where it hurts the most — financially. EU regulators have issued preliminary findings accusing Meta’s platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, of failing to properly protect children under 13 from accessing their services. The development comes after a long two-year investigation, and while it’s not a final ruling yet, it clearly signals that regulators aren’t satisfied with how things are currently being handled.
At the center of this case is the European Union’s Digital Services Act, a major piece of legislation designed to force Big Tech companies to take stronger responsibility for harmful and illegal content. According to the European Commission, Meta hasn’t done enough to enforce its own age restrictions, and the systems in place to detect and remove underage users are simply not effective enough. What makes this more concerning is the estimate that around 10% to 12% of children under 13 in Europe are still using these platforms, despite clear rules stating they shouldn’t be there.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen didn’t hold back while addressing the issue, pointing out that written policies alone are not enough. She stressed that terms and conditions must actually translate into real-world action, especially when it comes to protecting younger users. It’s a statement that reflects a broader shift in how regulators are approaching Big Tech — less tolerance for promises, more demand for visible results.
Meta, however, isn’t fully agreeing with the accusations. The company has pushed back against the preliminary findings, stating that it already has systems in place to identify and remove accounts belonging to underage users. At the same time, it has acknowledged that age verification is a complicated problem across the entire industry, not just for one company. Meta has also indicated that it plans to roll out additional measures soon, which could play a key role in influencing the final decision.
What really raises the stakes here is the potential financial impact. Under the Digital Services Act, companies found in violation can face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover. For a company of Meta’s size, that could translate into billions of dollars, making this more than just a regulatory warning. However, it’s important to note that the process is still ongoing, and Meta will have time to respond and adjust its systems before any final penalty is decided.
This case also reflects a growing global concern about the impact of social media on children. Governments and regulators across different regions are increasingly questioning whether platforms are doing enough to protect younger users from harmful content and digital exposure. The EU, in particular, has been taking a more aggressive stance compared to other regions, often setting the tone for how tech regulation evolves worldwide.
Looking ahead, Meta now finds itself in a position where it needs to not just defend its current systems, but also prove that it can adapt quickly. The European Commission has already made it clear that changes are expected, especially in how risks are assessed and how underage users are detected and removed. If those expectations aren’t met, the situation could escalate further.
For now, this remains a developing story, but it’s another reminder that the relationship between Big Tech and regulators is becoming more tense with each passing year. And in cases like this, where children’s safety is involved, the room for compromise is getting smaller.
