EU Probes Facebook and Instagram Over Potential Child Harm
Social media giants Facebook and Instagram are under fire from the European Union (EU) for potentially harming children.
Deepak 
Social media giants Facebook and Instagram are under fire from the European Union (EU) for potentially harming children. The EU has launched an investigation into Meta, the parent company of both platforms, alleging they fail to adequately protect young users.
What's the EU concerned about?
- Exposure to harmful content: The EU believes Facebook and Instagram allow children to see inappropriate content, including violence, hate speech, and sexual material.
- Addictive algorithms: The EU accuses the platforms' algorithms of creating a "rabbit hole" effect, where users get sucked into increasingly extreme and harmful content.
- Weak age verification: The EU argues Meta's methods for verifying users' ages are insufficient and allow minors to access the platforms.
What could happen?
- Fines: If Meta is found to violate the Digital Services Act (DSA), a new EU law regulating online content, they could face hefty fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
- Platform changes: The EU might force Meta to make changes to Facebook and Instagram, such as stricter content moderation and more robust child safety features.
Meta's defense:
Meta refutes the accusations, claiming they've spent over a decade developing child safety measures, with more than 50 tools and policies in place.
Why this matters:
The investigation highlights growing concerns about the impact of social media on children. If the EU rules against Meta, it could set a precedent and force significant changes across the social media industry.
Additional details:
- The Digital Services Act (DSA) aims to create a safer online environment for users and hold tech companies accountable.
- Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) like Facebook and Instagram, with over 45 million monthly active users in the EU, have stricter obligations under the DSA.
Remember, this is just an investigation, and Meta is not guilty until proven so.
