EU TAKES ON BIG TECH: COMMISSION LAUNCHES PROBE INTO US SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS OVER CHILD PROTECTION
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The European Commission is requesting data from American platforms Apple, Snapchat, Google, and YouTube concerning accusations of inadequate child safeguarding measures, as stated by European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen on Friday.
The regulations within the European Union “explicitly indicate that when minors utilize online services, exceptionally elevated standards of privacy, security, and safety must be guaranteed,” Virkkunen remarked.
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“This is not consistently observed,” she further commented upon her arrival at a gathering of EU ministers responsible for telecommunications in the Danish city of Horsens.
Officials are collecting this information to evaluate the initiatives implemented by Snapchat, YouTube, the Apple Store, and Google Play in order to safeguard minors and adhere to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the commissioner explained.
Should the commission persist in its concerns regarding a potential violation of the DSA following its review of the information, it may initiate formal proceedings.
In the event that the commission confirms a transgression of EU regulations, it holds the authority to levy fines amounting to 6 percent of global revenue.
The commission is apprehensive that the age restrictions for children and adolescents on the video platform YouTube, which is affiliated with the Google conglomerate, are overly simplistic to bypass.
Furthermore, it intends to investigate the extent to which YouTube’s algorithms may foster addictive behaviors in children.
The commission seeks to determine whether minors can access gambling applications such as online casino apps via the Apple Store and Google Play platforms.
Concerning Snapchat, the commission is concerned that minors might have the ability to purchase illicit substances on the social network and that the company is failing to adhere to its established age restrictions, which prohibit children under the age of 13 from using the app.
In July, the commission released directives on child protection aimed at assisting companies in conforming with the DSA.
“The digital realm is an integral component of our daily existence,” Virkkunen stated. “Children also possess the right to access information and communicate with their peers. ”
Nonetheless, online services have a duty to ensure the safety of minors, she emphasized.
The DSA mandates platforms to promptly eliminate illegal content from their sites and to provide users with the means to report such content. Larger services are required to adhere to more stringent regulations than smaller ones.
This legislation has also generated friction between the EU and the United States, with U. S. President Donald Trump denouncing EU regulations as anti-competitive.
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