EU Opens Child Safety Probe Against Meta

story

May 16, 2024

Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Imagesstory last updated May 16

The Facts

The European Commission (EC) has announced the launch of a probe against Meta concerning whether social media platforms Facebook and Instagram lead to behavioral addictions and "rabbit-hole effects" in children.
The EU's executive body stated Thursday that Meta's platforms may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA), a law passed by the bloc last summer.

The Spin

Narrative A

Meta has been long aware of the addictive and harmful consequences of its platforms on children. Unfortunately, the company has prioritized profit over safety and has chosen to do nothing about it. Meta's ability to so far avoid moral and legal accountability can't last forever.

North Jersey Media Group

Narrative B

Meta has long been transparent about its policies, processes, and enforcement. The company is committed to complying with the rules of the DSA, and has updated its transparency measures and some user features in order to meet EU regulatory obligations. Holding a shared vision with the EC, Meta will continue to minimize the potential for online harm.

Narrative C

The DSA is an egregious example of government overreach. While it's admirable that the EU is attempting to set rules that could provide some order to the internet, these powers are a pathway to infringe upon the free speech of Europeans, censor content on social media platforms, and further control the behavior of individuals.