The European Commission is widening its probe into whether Meta’s platform features and safeguards exposed minors to addictive use patterns and other risks, increasing the threat of significant fines under the bloc’s tech rules.
Meta Platforms is facing intensified scrutiny in the European Union after the European Commission moved to deepen its Digital Services Act investigation into Facebook and Instagram. The probe, which began in May 2024, is now focusing more closely on whether recommendation systems, notifications and other interface features encouraged compulsive use among minors and whether Meta did enough to shield young users from harm. Preliminary findings cited in April 2026 had already indicated Meta may have breached the DSA by failing to prevent users under 13 from accessing the platforms. No final decision has been issued, but Meta could face fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue if violations are confirmed. Meta shares fell about 2.3% on the latest development.