EU Accuses Meta of Breaching DSA Child Safety Rules

Executive Summary

The European Commission formally accused Meta of violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) by failing to adequately protect minors under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram, according to a preliminary finding published April 29, 2026. The Commission alleges Meta did not diligently identify, assess, or mitigate the risks of underage users on its platforms, as required under the DSA's child safety provisions.

Technical Analysis

The Commission's preliminary view, reported by The Record (Recorded Future News), centers on Meta's alleged systemic failure to implement age verification and risk assessment mechanisms that would prevent children under 13 from creating accounts or accessing age-inappropriate content. Under the DSA, platforms designated as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) — which includes Facebook and Instagram — must conduct annual risk assessments and deploy proportionate mitigation measures for systemic risks, including those affecting minors. The Commission claims Meta's current safeguards are insufficient to meet these obligations, specifically citing a lack of diligent identification and mitigation of risks to underage users.

Mitigations & Recommendations

Organizations operating VLOPs or similar online services in the EU should review their DSA compliance frameworks, particularly regarding age verification and child safety risk assessments. The Commission's action signals increased enforcement rigor under the DSA. Defenders and compliance teams should audit user onboarding flows for age-gating mechanisms, ensure risk assessments cover all age cohorts, and document mitigation measures for regulatory review.