EU Charges Meta for Lax Child Protection on Facebook, Instagram

0:00The European Union just dropped charges on Meta, saying Facebook and Instagram aren't doing enough to block kids under 13 from signing up, and using the apps. This breaks the Block's Digital Services Act, which demands tough protections for miners online. Meta sets its own minimum age at 13, but regulators say the company's systems fall short. On top of easy access, the EU points out Meta isn't properly spotting underage users after they create accounts or kicking them off. They're also skimping on checks for risky content that could harm young kids like stuff that's not age appropriate. EU officials, including executive vice president Hina Verkanen, are calling it out hard. They launched this pro back in 2024 and found the platforms are barely enforcing their own rules against under 13 users. Meta gets a shot to push back on these initial findings before a final ruling drops. If they don't fix it, fines could hit up to 6% of the company's global yearly revenue. That's massive pressure. This DSA crackdown is part of a bigger push to

1:04make big tech actually protect users, especially the youngest ones, so we'll see how Meta steps up, or it Brussels tightens the screws even more. Local news, powered by AI, this is Canada News today.