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Is Social Media Safe for Kids? EU Launches Investigation into Meta’s Facebook and Instagram Practices

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EU Scrutinizes Meta Over Child Safety Concerns on Facebook and Instagram

Brussels, Belgium – May 18, 2024 – The European Union (EU) has launched a formal investigation into Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over potential violations of online content rules related to child safety. This move highlights the EU’s growing concern about the impact of social media platforms on young people’s well-being.

Algorithmic Concerns and the “Rabbit Hole” Effect

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, expressed anxieties about the algorithms used by Facebook and Instagram to recommend content. They suspect these algorithms might exploit children’s vulnerabilities and inexperience by promoting addictive behaviors and exposing them to increasingly disturbing content through a phenomenon known as the “rabbit hole effect.” This effect occurs when users are drawn deeper into a cycle of increasingly extreme or harmful content due to the platform’s recommendation algorithms.

Age Verification and Compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA)

The investigation will also examine the effectiveness of Meta’s age verification methods. The EU’s recently implemented Digital Services Act (DSA) mandates stricter regulations for online platforms, particularly regarding child protection and online safety.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, voiced concerns about Meta’s compliance with the DSA. He stated that regulators are not convinced Meta has taken sufficient measures to mitigate potential risks to the physical and mental health of young European users on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta’s Response and Ongoing Investigations

In response to the investigation, Meta emphasized its commitment to online safety for young people. They highlighted their decade-long effort in developing over 50 tools and policies specifically designed to protect children on their platforms. Meta also acknowledged the industry-wide nature of this challenge and expressed their willingness to collaborate with the European Commission.

This investigation has no set deadline for completion. Potential violations could result in significant fines of up to six percent of Meta’s global turnover or even a platform ban in cases of severe or repeated offenses.

A Wider Focus on Online Safety

The investigation into Meta is not an isolated incident. Facebook and Instagram are just two of the 23 “very large online platforms” required to comply with the DSA. Other major platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube also fall under this category and face similar potential scrutiny.

The EU has recently launched a wave of investigations into online platforms. Meta faced a probe last month regarding its handling of disinformation ahead of upcoming EU elections. Additionally, in February, the Commission launched an investigation into TikTok to assess the platform’s efforts in protecting young users from potential negative effects. Notably, the EU also compelled TikTok to suspend its spinoff app “Lite” due to concerns about its “addictive” reward schemes and their potential impact on user mental health.

The EU’s Stance on Online Safety

The EU’s actions demonstrate their strong stance on protecting users, particularly young people, from the potential harms of social media platforms. The investigation into Meta serves as a warning to all major platforms operating within the EU. They are expected to actively address content moderation challenges and prioritize user safety, especially when it comes to children.

The outcome of this investigation and others like it will likely shape the future of online content regulation in the EU and potentially influence similar efforts worldwide.
[11:23 am, 18/05/2024] Shahoor Bhai DCH: EU, Meta, Facebook, Instagram, Child Safety, Online Content, Digital Services Act (DSA), Algorithmic Bias, Rabbit Hole Effect, Age Verification, Social Media, Mental Health, Disinformation, TikTok, Content Moderation

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