The European Union has taken a firm stance on protecting children online, questioning tech giants Apple, Google, Snapchat, and YouTube over their measures to safeguard minors. The European Commission has sent requests for information under the Digital Services Act, seeking details on how these platforms protect children from online harm.
The EU’s Digital Services Act requires platforms to tackle illegal content and ensure children’s safety online. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of rules, stating, “Privacy, security, and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case.” The Commission wants to know what practices Apple, Google, Snapchat, and YouTube are implementing to prevent children from accessing harmful content
The inquiry also touches on age verification, with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announcing plans to introduce a ban on social media for children under 15. The EU is exploring a potential bloc-wide digital majority age, inspired by Australia’s social media ban for under-16s. This move is part of a broader effort to make the online world safer for minors.
The European Commission is also probing Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over concerns about their addictive nature and impact on children. The EU’s demands are part of a larger push to hold tech companies accountable for protecting children online.
