EU LAUNCHES MAJOR CHILD SAFETY PROBE – The probe is into Snapchat, YouTube, the Apple App Store & Google Play FS
The European Union (EU) has escalated its crackdown on Big Tech by launching a major investigation into whether Snapchat, YouTube, the Apple App Store, and Google Play are doing enough to protect minors from harmful content.
The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, initiated the first widespread investigative action under its stringent Digital Services Act (DSA), demanding that the tech giants provide exhaustive information on their child protection measures.
The investigation focuses on two main areas: age verification and the mitigation of harmful and illegal content accessible to children. Specifically, the commission is demanding details on how the platforms prevent minors from accessing illicit products like vape pens or drugs, and harmful materials that could encourage negative behaviours, such as eating disorders or self-harm.
This aggressive regulatory move follows the EU’s enactment of some of the world’s most stringent online protections for minors under the 2023 Digital Services Act. It is the first major action since the Commission adopted new Guidelines on the Protection of Minors in July, which recommend measures like setting children’s accounts to private by default, modifying content recommendation algorithms, and implementing rigorous age verification systems to prevent access to adult content.
Failure to satisfy the Commission’s inquiries or prove compliance with the DSA could lead to formal proceedings, where companies face potential fines of up to six per cent of their global annual turnover.
