Meta supports EU law on children accessing social media: Why this matters

Meta has announced its support for new EU rules requiring stricter age verification for children accessing social media. This is a notable shift that reflects growing global pressure on tech giants to prioritise online safety for younger users.

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The rules, part of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), aim to reduce children’s exposure to harmful content and data exploitation. Meta’s endorsement comes as the company faces regulatory heat across the continent, including over its controversial ad-targeting practices. This backing appears to be both a show of compliance and a strategic move to align with policymakers amid broader scrutiny.

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The EU’s age verification mandate

Under the DSA, digital platforms must block children under 13 from signing up and ensure that content for teens is age-appropriate. Critically, they are required to implement “effective and proportionate” age verification systems, which could include document uploads or biometric tools. Platforms must also disclose how they use data from young users and offer clear, accessible explanations of their algorithms and recommendation systems.

Meta has called the EU’s direction “measured” and “sensible,” positioning it as a partner in child safety rather than an adversary. The company said it is developing new systems to meet the regulation’s demands ahead of full enforcement in late 2025. This marks a shift from earlier years, when Meta and other platforms were accused of dragging their feet on child protection and pushing back hard against regulatory oversight.

Also read: Social media ban for teens in Australia: Age-verification tech trial succeeds

Meta’s support for the EU model also serves to highlight the differing global responses to the same problem. Just days before Meta’s announcement, Australia passed a far more rigid law banning under-16s from joining social platforms without verified parental consent.

Unlike the EU’s nuanced, compliance-driven approach, Australia’s policy takes a more aggressive stance, treating access to social media by teens as something that should be actively restricted by default. The contrast between the two models is stark, and Meta’s silence on the Australian law may be telling. Both cases still signal the same trend: governments are beginning to legislate child access to platforms, something that, for years, was left almost entirely to the platforms themselves.

Why this matters

Meta’s support for the EU law is not just a regulatory checkbox, it reflects a broader pivot in how platforms are positioning themselves amid rising political and public pressure. First, it shows that tech companies are starting to favour collaboration over confrontation when dealing with regulations they see as inevitable.

Second, it provides a roadmap for other countries that may want to implement similar laws. With Meta cooperating in Europe, lawmakers in Canada, the U.S., and India may look to the DSA framework as a model. Third, it’s a reputational play. After years of criticism over how its platforms affect teen mental health, Meta needs to repair public trust. Supporting child safety regulation, especially the kind seen as proportional and transparent, helps reposition the company.

Also read: EU fines Apple and Meta in first big crackdown, here’s why 

Meta will be expected to roll out fully compliant age verification systems across its European platforms by the end of 2025. Enforcement of the DSA is already underway, with the EU Commission actively monitoring for breaches.

Meanwhile, the divergence between the EU and countries like Australia raises a fundamental question: Should child safety online be built around access restrictions, or verified protections within access? For now, Meta is placing its bets on the latter. Whether that model becomes the global standard remains to be seen.

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Vyom Ramani

A journalist with a soft spot for tech, games, and things that go beep. While waiting for a delayed metro or rebooting his brain, you’ll find him solving Rubik’s Cubes, bingeing F1, or hunting for the next great snack. View Full Profile