Kira-Yan
EU regulators to investigate whether Meta (NASDAQ:META), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has breached the Digital Services Act regarding the protection of minors, it said on Thursday.
The European Commission is concerned that the systems of both Facebook and Instagram, including their algorithms, may stimulate behavioral addictions in children, as well as create so-called ‘rabbit-hole effects’, it said in a statement.
Additionally, the Commission is also concerned about age-assurance and verification methods put in place by Meta, adding it will now conduct an in-depth investigation as a matter of priority and will continue to gather evidence by “sending additional requests for information, conducting interviews or inspections.”
“The opening of formal proceedings empowers the Commission to take further enforcement steps, such as adopting interim measures and non-compliance decisions,” it further said.
The Digital Services Act, a landmark piece of legislation, has compelled companies like Meta, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) to tell regulators exactly what they are doing to combat misinformation online and quickly rid their platforms of illegal content.
Last month, the European Commission said it is investigating Meta Platforms (META) for a potential violation of the Digital Services Act on the grounds that it failed to rid Facebook and Instagram of “deceptive advertisements and disinformation.”
