Brussels has launched an inquiry into Snapchat after worries that the messaging service is exposing children to grooming, sexual abuse and other illegal activity.
In a separate ruling on Thursday, the European Commission also stated that four pornographic sites are not stopping minors from viewing adult material.
The probes targeting five technology firms fall under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a rule that has drawn criticism from Donald Trump since it took effect two years ago. Intended to shield European society from a broad spectrum of online harms, the DSA contains child‑safety measures aimed at countering cyberbullying, exposure to adult content and illicit goods.
The statements followed a landmark judgment in a Los Angeles court that concluded two social‑media firms, Meta and YouTube, had deliberately built addictive products that harmed a young user. The EU is considering whether to emulate Australia and prohibit social‑media use for those under 16.
Opening its first case against Snapchat, the commission said it suspects the app lets adults misuse the service by pretending to be minors to lure children into sexual exploitation and other crimes. Authorities also worry the platform supplies information about drugs and age‑restricted items such as alcohol and vapes.
Snapchat reports 94.7 million monthly users in the EU and is especially popular with teenagers and young adults.
According to Snapchat’s own terms, users must be at least 13 years old. EU regulators contend the company is not enforcing this age limit adequately. They also argue that users receive insufficient guidance on privacy and safety tools, and that mechanisms for reporting illegal content are not user‑friendly.
The latest decision means EU regulators will conduct a detailed examination and can require the firm to adopt preventive steps to protect children, pending any final ruling.
In reply, a Snapchat spokesperson said the safety and wellbeing of users remains a top concern. “Snapchat is built to let people communicate with close friends and family in a positive, trusted setting, with privacy and safety incorporated from the outset – including extra protections for teens,” the spokesperson added. “As online risks change, we continually review, strengthen and invest in these safeguards.”
In a separate announcement on Thursday, the commission accused four pornographic websites – Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos – of failing to stop children from accessing adult material.
After an inquiry initiated last May, the commission concluded the four sites “did not diligently identify and assess the risks that their platforms pose to minors”. To reach the sites, children and youths could simply click a button declaring they were over 18, a self‑declaration method deemed ineffective by EU officials.
The companies may now review the findings before any final decision is made.
Read next
Senior European reporter suspended for using AI‑generated quotations
The owner of the Dutch daily De Telegraaf and the Irish Independent has placed a senior reporter on leave for now after he confessed to employing artificial intelligence to “incorrectly attribute statements to individuals.”
Peter Vandermeersch, who previously led Mediahuis’s Irish division, said he “succumbed to hallucinations” – the label
Fire specialists stay alert as lithium‑ion battery risks rise
Lithium‑ion cells now pose a fresh technological risk, a fire‑science specialist admits keeps him restless at night, while fire‑service leaders caution that the proliferation of these cells in daily items is outstripping public awareness and safety rules.
The inferno that ravaged a historic Glasgow structure and forced
No instructions needed: My experience riding a self-driving taxi
“I’m really excited to show you this,” says Alex Kendall, chief executive of Wayve, as he settles into the driver’s seat of the firm’s electric Ford Mustang. He then does nothing. The vehicle moves to a junction on a busy King’s Cross road entirely on its