Facebook and Instagram face fresh EU digital scrutiny over child safety measures

Advertisement

Advertise with us

LONDON (AP) — The European Union opened fresh investigations Thursday into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they're failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc's strict digital regulations for social media platforms.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/05/2024 (866 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON (AP) — The European Union opened fresh investigations Thursday into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they’re failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc’s strict digital regulations for social media platforms.

It’s the latest round of scrutiny for parent company Meta Platforms under the 27-nation EU’s Digital Services Act, a sweeping set of regulations that took effect last year with the goal of cleaning up online platforms and protecting internet users.

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, said it’s concerned that the algorithmic systems used by Facebook and Instagram to recommend content like videos and posts could “exploit the weaknesses and inexperience” of children and stimulate “addictive behaviour.” It’s worried that these systems could reinforce the so-called “rabbit hole” effect that leads users to increasingly disturbing content.

FILE - The Meta logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. The European Union opened fresh investigations Thursday, May 16, 2024 into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they're failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc's strict digital regulations for social media platforms. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
FILE - The Meta logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. The European Union opened fresh investigations Thursday, May 16, 2024 into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they're failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc's strict digital regulations for social media platforms. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

The commission is also looking into Meta’s use of age verification tools to prevent children from accessing Facebook or Instagram, or be shown inappropriate content. The platforms require users to be at least 13 years old to set up an account. It’s also looking into whether the company is complying with DSA rules requiring a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors.

“We want young people to have safe, age-appropriate experiences online and have spent a decade developing more than 50 tools and policies designed to protect them,” Meta said in a prepared statement. “This is a challenge the whole industry is facing, and we look forward to sharing details of our work with the European Commission.”

They’re the latest DSA cases to focus on child protection under the DSA, which requires platforms to put in place stringent measures to protect minors. The commission opened two separate investigations earlier this year into TikTok over concerns about risks to kids.

“We are not convinced that Meta has done enough to comply with the DSA obligations — to mitigate the risks of negative effects to the physical and mental health of young Europeans on its platforms Facebook and Instagram,” European Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a social media post.

The cases announced Thursday aren’t the first for Facebook and Instagram. They’re are already being investigated under the DSA over concerns they’re not doing enough to stop foreign disinformation ahead of EU elections next month.

Social media platform X and ecommerce site AliExpress are also being investigated over their compliance with the EU rules.

There’s no deadline for the investigations to wrap up. Violations could result in fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual worldwide revenue.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Kinew adds cabinet portfolio to focus on first responders

Carol Sanders and Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Preview

Kinew adds cabinet portfolio to focus on first responders

Carol Sanders and Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 6:40 PM CDT

Premier Wab Kinew shuffled his cabinet Monday and created a new ministerial position that will oversee first responders in the province.

Kinew appointed David Pankratz, the MLA for Waverley, as minister responsible for first responder initiatives.

Tuxedo MLA Carla Compton was appointed minister responsible for accessibility, taking over the role from Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine.

The new ministers were sworn in at a ceremony at the legislature Monday afternoon.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 6:40 PM CDT

Jets defenceman spent whole summer working on getting to the next level

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Jets defenceman spent whole summer working on getting to the next level

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:57 PM CDT

Tyrel Bauer makes no apologies for the pugilistic piece of his path.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman is ready to drop the gloves and throw down when the situation calls for it and he takes great pride in protecting his teammates.

It’s a big part of the reason Bauer will be among the 23 players submitted by the Jets on the opening-day roster on Monday.

“I’ve fought and clawed, both metaphorically and literally and now I just want to show that I can play as well,” Bauer said during a chat with the Free Press during training camp. “(Toughness) is always something that I have, it’s always something in my back pocket and something that I take a lot of pride in doing, for my teammates, for the city and the people who invest in this hockey club. That will never change.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 1:57 PM CDT

Khan quits as Tory leader, leaves caucus to sit as independent

Carol Sanders 7 minute read Preview

Khan quits as Tory leader, leaves caucus to sit as independent

Carol Sanders 7 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:22 PM CDT

Manitoba’s Leader of the Opposition is stepping down.

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan announced late Monday afternoon he is quitting caucus and will sit in the legislature as an independent MLA, effective Tuesday.

He cited internal party fighting for his decision.

The former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman survived a caucus confidence vote Friday. He said there were 13 votes for him to remain and six against, with one person absent.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 8:22 PM CDT

What’s open, what’s closed, what’s up in Winnipeg on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30, 2026

Free Press staff 4 minute read Preview

What’s open, what’s closed, what’s up in Winnipeg on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30, 2026

Free Press staff 4 minute read Sunday, Sep. 27, 2026

The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, or Orange Shirt Day, as it's known in Manitoba, happens Sept. 30 with many commemorative community events scheduled.

Read
Sunday, Sep. 27, 2026

Furby Street residents fed up with inaction on drug houses

Carol Sanders 6 minute read Preview

Furby Street residents fed up with inaction on drug houses

Carol Sanders 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:39 AM CDT

Anxious Furby Street residents contacted the city and their elected officials Friday to — once again — report people coming and going from a boarded-up house they call a dangerous “drug centre” and “den of thieves” that’s just steps away from a house under construction.

Linda Zak, who was holding a yard sale with a group of neighbours Friday morning, described the trouble the home attracts, while a woman slumped on the front steps and a man standing in the yard yelled to someone inside it.

“It is a drug centre,” said Zak, 77. “We know that. A couple of days ago, a person lit the front on fire. Now, as you look at it, you can see where the facade was burning and they were trying to harm people inside.”

“We’re very concerned about it being next to the home this man is building,” she said, pointing to the two-storey that’s nearly completed. The boarded-up house is in the 500 block of Furby.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 8:39 AM CDT

Is another goalie on Jets’ wish list?

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Is another goalie on Jets’ wish list?

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Sunday, Sep. 27, 2026

Kevin Cheveldayoff and company are down to the short strokes.

With the opening-day roster due on Monday afternoon, the Winnipeg Jets took steps on the weekend to get down to the final number.

As it stood on Sunday, the Jets were down to 24 healthy players in training camp after centre Danny Zhilkin and defenceman Henry Thrun were placed on waivers.

With a maximum of 23 spots available, the only things left to determine are whether the Jets are interested in claiming a more experienced goalie to serve as the backup to Stuart Skinner and if centre Brayden Yager will break camp with the big club.

Read
Sunday, Sep. 27, 2026