The European Union has formally sought detailed explanations from Apple, Google, Snapchat, and YouTube about the measures they are taking to safeguard minors in the digital realm, officials announced on Friday. Under the framework of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the Commission has issued requests for information to these platforms, demanding justification of their policies and practices aimed at preventing harm, exploitation, or exposure to illegal content among children.
Speaking ahead of an EU ministers’ meeting in Denmark, EU Technology Commissioner Henna Virkkunen emphasized that privacy, security, and safety obligations must be fulfilled by all platforms, and that enforcement of rules would tighten where deficiencies are found. She confirmed that the letters had been dispatched to Snapchat, YouTube, Apple’s App Store, and Google Play, seeking clarity on how minors’ safety is ensured across their services. Though Virkkunen declined to divulge further details at that moment, she said an official press release would follow later in the day.
The move is not without precedent. Brussels is already investigating Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over concerns that these platforms fall short in mitigating addictive features and insufficient safeguards for under-age users. Some EU member states, including France and Spain, have been pushing to restrict or regulate children’s access to social media, drawing inspiration from policy measures enacted elsewhere—such as Australia’s ban on social media use for children under 16.
Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency, is pressing for a unified European approach to child safety in the digital domain. Its proposals include raising the minimum age for social media access and instituting stricter age verification mechanisms. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has floated the idea of banning social media access for children under 15. In parallel, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has announced plans to convene a panel of experts to evaluate whether an EU-wide age threshold should be adopted to govern minors’ access to online platforms.
At the forum of EU ministers, deliberations are expected to focus on how best to enforce the child-safety provisions embedded within the Digital Services Act. In particular, attendees will debate age verification systems and other strategies to ensure a safer environment for minors across digital services. A draft joint statement circulating among officials suggests strong backing for von der Leyen’s initiative to study a union-wide digital majority age.
Officials also noted worrying trends in misuse of social media platforms. Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen raised concerns that Snapchat has been used as a vehicle for the sale of illicit substances, reinforcing the view that stronger oversight is imperative. The European Commission’s campaign signals that the bloc is shifting from policy design to rigorous enforcement in seeking accountability from powerful tech firms when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable users.
