EU Opens 4 New Investigations On Facebook And Instagram

Date: May 17, 2024

Facebook and Instagram face fresh EU digital scrutiny regarding four critical aspects: child safety, privacy, and age verification.

The European Union has tightened the compliance measures surrounding the digital well-being of its citizens, resulting in multiple businesses being completely banned and many others facing high-alert scrutiny. In recent news, Facebook and Instagram have resurfaced into the negative limelight as the EU issues a fresh investigation on 4 critical aspects.

Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, Meta platforms face fresh scrutiny for inadequate security, privacy, age verification, and child safety measures. The DSA has sprung into rapid action mode to safeguard children and their online privacy. The main accused in this case are Facebook and Instagram, who face a serious allegation of using algorithms to show inappropriate content to underage children on the platform.

The DSA team is concerned that Instagram’s recommendation algorithm may reinforce the rabbit hole effect that subconsciously leads users to disturbing content, increasing its mass acceptance. Currently, children aged 13 or above are allowed to access Meta’s social media platforms. However, the EU Commission has raised concerns regarding the efficacy of the age verification process. The commission is also reviewing Facebook and Instagram’s compliance with DSA’s rules, which require high privacy, safety, and security for minors.

Meta has officially responded to the newly formed allegations, claiming their commitment to ensuring child safety online is paramount. The tech giant has also shared that the teams are working in full cooperation with the DSA throughout the investigation process. DSA’s new allegations are an added layer to an ongoing probe to prevent the spread of foreign misinformation during the upcoming EU elections.

Earlier this year, The EU Commission opened probes on TikTok and other social media platforms over a lack of confidence in their privacy and security measures. It is important to note that violating the EU’s compliance regulations may result in a hefty penalty of up to 6% of a company’s global annual revenue. In extreme cases, the company may be shut down until the compliance measures are met.

The ongoing skepticism of various government entities against the top social media platforms has given rise to engagement on other social media apps. Users are switching to other social media apps that avoid controversies while offering similar engagement and content spread.