EU lawmakers urge Meta to change platform design for child safety

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Fifty-two European Parliament members, led by French lawmaker Stephanie Yon-Courtin, issued a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanding immediate regulatory action against Meta to curb "addictive" platform design features. This movement was triggered by Meta's recent $16.7 billion settlement in the United States, which included new safety restrictions for minors that the lawmakers argue must also be applied to European users. The group urged the European Commission to finalize its ongoing investigation under the Digital Services Act and impose penalties or seek court-ordered service blocks if the company fails to implement equivalent protections.

Consequences

The European Commission is expected to announce a form of social media ban for children later this month, marking a significant escalation in its regulatory approach to Big Tech. Future developments may include the Commission issuing a formal non-compliance decision, which could lead to court-ordered temporary blocks on Meta platforms if the company does not align its design features with the lawmakers' demands.

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