Brussels Launches Investigations โinto Tech Giants Over Minor Safety
Theโข European Commission has initiatedโ formalโข investigations into Snapchat,YouTube,AppleS App Store,adnโ google Playโข to assess their compliance with new guidelines designed to protect minors online,as outlined โคin the Digital Services Act (DSA).โข The inquiries focus โฃonโ the platforms’ measuresโ to verify userโข age and prevent children from accessing illegal or harmful content.
These investigations โmark the โfirst official actions taken under the DSA’s โขprovisions for safeguarding young users. The Commission isโฃ requesting โdetailed information from each platform regarding their specific systemsโข and practices.
Snapchat is being asked to โclarify โฃhow it enforces its terms of service prohibiting use by children under 13, and how itโ prevents the sale of illegal goods,โ such as drugs andโข e-cigarettes, to underage users.
YouTube’s inquiry will examine both its โage verification processes and the โfunctionality of its suggestion algorithm. The Commission aims to understand how the platform addressesโฃ theโ spread of possibly harmful content to minors, following concerns raised about inappropriate video recommendations.
Apple and Google โwill be required to detail how they manageโฃ risks associated with apps available on their โrespective platforms.This includesโ scrutiny of how theyโข prevent the download of illegal or harmful applications – such asโ gambling apps or โขthose generating โnon-consensual sexualized images -โ and how age ratings are appliedโ to apps.
“Protecting the physical โand mental well-being of minors online is โa top priority,” stated โHenna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for EU Technological Sovereignty. “Platforms must ensure their servicesโข are safe for young people, either by applying the guidelinesโ or adoptingโข equally effective โsolutions. We are evaluating โขwhether current tools โคadequately protect children.”
The Commission is collaborating with national authorities to identify platforms posing theโค greatest โrisks to minors andโฃ ensure consistent application of the DSA’s child protection โฃrules across the European Union,irrespective โฃof platformโ size. This โinitiative represents a key step in strengthening the enforcement of the DSA and creating a โขsafer digital environment for children and adolescents.