The European Union has asked major tech platforms including Snapchat and YouTube to explain what steps they are taking to protect children online as part of new digital safety actions.
The request comes as Brussels considers whether to follow Australia’s lead in restricting access to social media for minors under 16. Several EU countries, including France and Spain, have also been pushing for tighter control of children’s online activity.
The EU’s main digital rule, the Digital Services Act (DSA), requires online platforms to prevent illegal content and protect young users. On Friday, the European Commission said it had sent official requests for information to Snapchat, Apple, Google, and YouTube under the DSA.
According to the Commission, Snapchat was asked to explain how it blocks children under 13 from creating accounts and what it is doing to stop users from buying drugs and vapes through the platform.
Apple’s App Store and Google Play were also told to provide details on how they prevent minors from downloading harmful or illegal apps, including those that promote gambling or sexual content. The EU also wants both tech firms to explain how they block “nudify apps” that create fake sexual images and how they enforce age restrictions.
“Privacy, security, and safety must be ensured, and that’s not always the case. This is why the Commission is tightening the enforcement of our rules,” said EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen before a meeting of EU ministers in Denmark.
YouTube has also been asked to explain how its recommender system works after reports of harmful videos being shown to minors.
The request for information is part of what the EU calls “investigative actions” and does not mean that the companies have broken any laws. However, failure to comply could lead to formal probes and heavy fines.
EU telecom ministers are also meeting to discuss the introduction of a possible “digital age of majority” across the bloc. The move would set a minimum age for social media use, similar to Denmark’s proposed ban on under-15s using social media.
France already requires parental consent for social media users under 15. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed support for an EU-wide policy, saying last month that an expert panel would study possible steps to make the internet safer for minors.
