Brussels – Will the European Commission introduce measures to protect children online, similar to those the United States adopted yesterday in its agreement with Meta? “I can only confirm that we have had discussions with the company.” This is “an ongoing dialogue we are pursuing to provide equally effective protection for our children here in the European Union.” The EU executive’s spokesperson, Thomas Reigner, stated this today (27 August) regarding the case in which the Californian group was accused of deliberately designing its social media platforms to be addictive for teenagers. Yesterday, Meta reached a settlement with 48 US states to pay up to $18 billion (€15.45 billion) in compensation and implement changes to restrict access by minors.
During the daily press briefing, Reigner reiterated that, just like the United States, the Berlaymont building is constantly working on this issue. The main outcome was the adoption of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in 2022, the European Union regulation establishing rules on safety, transparency, and accountability for online services and platforms. The spokesperson also pointed out that last July, the Berlaymont launched “an investigation into Meta regarding the same allegations” that had arisen across the Atlantic, concluding that the design of Facebook and Instagram, being addictive, does indeed breach the DSA.
Reigner made it clear that the issue is not about determining “who will impose the heaviest fine,” but about “effectively protecting our children online,” which he described as the essence of the “work currently underway.” In outlining the future course of the ongoing investigations, Reigner emphasised that it is up to the American giant “to make commitments and offer guarantees here in the European Union to protect our children” from such practices. In particular, the Commission expects the company to ensure “appropriate management of screen time” and “adequate parental controls on these platforms.”
When it was pointed out that, under the US agreement, Meta’s commitments are temporary, the spokesperson said companies that “make commitments in Europe” must honour them “for the foreseeable future.” Therefore, the platform must now “assess the risks that its systems and designs—which are addictive—could pose within the EU.” From the Commission’s perspective, this means “changing a company’s behaviour here in Europe” and deciding “which commitments we can accept to resolve a case in accordance with our legislation,” he concluded. So “the ball is in Meta’s court.”
Within the EU, some are urging the Berlaymont to adopt a more assertive stance towards the tech giant. On his social media channels, the Polish Minister for Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, stated: “Digital platforms must take full responsibility for their actions, which is why I have called for a fine of one billion złoty (the Polish currency) to be imposed on Meta.” The minister went on to clarify that he had “sent a formal request to the European Commission to fine the platform €250 million,” after analysing “the materials, including those received from Meta, as well as subsequent media reports on the lack of control over published content.” With “more than enough evidence,” he now expects the European Commission to “conduct the proceedings swiftly and impose the fine.” This “Wild West situation on the platform must end,” he retorted.
Similar calls have also come from Italy. The MEPs (S&D) from the Democratic Party, Sandro Ruotolo and Nicola Zingaretti, stated in a press release today that “the developments in the United States call for a response in Europe as well.” Since May 2024, “the European Commission has been conducting proceedings against Meta specifically regarding the protection of minors.” For this reason, they have asked the Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, “what stage the investigations have reached, after more than two years, and what findings have emerged so far.” Furthermore, they asked whether measures similar to those agreed in the United States “could be required of platforms under the obligations already set out in the DSA, or whether further European legislative initiatives are necessary.” In reiterating that “the protection of children cannot be subordinated to the economic interests of the platforms,” the two emphasised: “Europe must ensure that the safety and wellbeing of young people take precedence over the profits of the major digital platforms.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
