EU accuses Meta of allowing under 13s on Instagram, Facebook

According to the European Commission, Meta is being accused of violating the Digital Services Act by failing to protect minors on Instagram and Facebook, with under-13s able to access the platforms despite minimum age rules. The commission says Meta did not properly assess or mitigate risks to minors, and that measures to enforce age restrictions are not effective or timely at identifying and removing underage users.

The risk assessment is described as incomplete, with evidence cited showing 10–12% of under-13s use these services and that younger children are more vulnerable to harms. If breaches are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, alongside periodic penalties to enforce compliance, as part of ongoing proceedings that began in May 2024.

The commission’s press materials also indicate that Instagram and Facebook must revise their risk evaluation methodologies and strengthen measures to detect, prevent and remove underage users, while the EU continues its investigation under the 2025 DSA guidelines.