European Commission rolls out age verification tool for member states
EU Commission provides age verification application to member states following platform compliance investigations.
Event / Technology
Meta Digital Services Act Investigation
European Commission investigation into Meta's compliance with child protection requirements under the Digital Services Act, including findings on Instagram and Facebook age verification.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 29 Apr, 11:08 UTC
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What happened
Meta faces potential fine of up to 6% of annual global revenue
As part of the preliminary conclusions from the two-year investigation, the European Commission indicated that Meta could face significant penalties if it fails to address the violations. The potential fine could reach up to 6% of Meta's annual global revenue, contingent on the company's response to the accusations and proposed remedial measures.
EU demands TikTok modify its interface for user protection
The European Commission demanded that TikTok modify its interface, which the Commission determined to be addictive and potentially harmful to user well-being, particularly for minors. This action is part of the broader EU initiative to strengthen protection of children and adolescents online.
European Commission presents age verification application for member states
In April 2026, the European Commission introduced its own age verification application to be made available to EU member states. Countries such as France may use this tool to enforce social media restrictions for users below a certain age. Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen called on all member states to adopt this European age verification solution by the end of 2026.
European Commission launches investigation into Snapchat for inadequate age verification
In a broader effort to protect minors online, the Commission launched an investigation against Snapchat approximately one month before April 29, 2026, accusing the social media platform of failing to verify the age of its users. Snapchat is identified as the preferred social network among teenagers.
Commission accuses pornographic websites of violating minor protection obligations
As part of its wider enforcement action on child protection, the European Commission has already accused multiple pornographic websites of failing to prevent minors from accessing their content, thereby violating their obligations under European digital regulations.
Commission finds Meta's age verification system relies on self-declared birth dates without effective controls
The European Commission identified that Meta's account creation process for both Instagram and Facebook only asks users to self-declare their age without implementing any effective mechanism to verify the accuracy of the provided birth dates. Additionally, the company's system for reporting underage users was found to be ineffective, with flagged users continuing to access the platforms without any controls.
European Commission accuses Meta of violating digital regulations by allowing children under 13 on Instagram and Facebook
The European Commission issued preliminary conclusions on April 29, 2026, accusing Meta of violating European digital service regulations (DSA) by failing to effectively prevent children under 13 years old from accessing Instagram and Facebook. The Commission found that approximately 10-12% of children under 13 across the EU access these platforms. Meta's age verification measures were found to be ineffective, relying only on self-declared birth dates without proper verification controls.
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2 alternative perspectives
EU expands platform crackdown beyond Meta to Snapchat, TikTok, and adult sites
EU targets Snapchat, TikTok, and adult sites over minor protection failures in expanding platform compliance sweep.
Meta Accused of Violating EU Rules on Child Account Protection
EU Commission says Meta violated digital rules by failing to prevent underage users on its platforms.