EU demands Meta protect children after US teen limits deal

The European Union said on Thursday it expects Meta to address the "addictive" features of its platforms in Europe, following the tech giant's agreement to impose sweeping limits on teenage use of Facebook and Instagram in several US states, according to The Local Italy.

The demand signals a growing transatlantic convergence on children's online safety, as regulators on both sides of the Atlantic move to hold social media companies accountable for the design of their products.

The EU's stance is likely to resonate strongly in Italy, where concerns about youth screen time and online harms have become a recurring theme in public debate, alongside broader questions about digital sovereignty and the regulation of American tech platforms.

The EU's statement came just a day after Meta settled with a coalition of US states, agreeing to limit how long teenagers can spend on its platforms and to restrict features that encourage compulsive use. The settlement, described as sweeping by observers, marks one of the most significant regulatory victories against the company to date.

Brussels now wants to see similar protections implemented on this side of the Atlantic. The European Commission's demand reflects a broader regulatory philosophy that has already produced the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, both of which impose strict obligations on large online platforms operating in the EU.

For Italy, the issue carries particular weight. Italian families, like those across Europe, have grappled with the effects of social media on adolescents, and national politicians have periodically floated their own restrictions. The EU's intervention may pre-empt fragmented national approaches, offering a single, bloc-wide standard instead.

The timing is significant. With the back-to-school season approaching, the question of how much time children spend on their phones is once again in the public eye. The EU's demand gives the issue a new institutional urgency, potentially forcing Meta to make changes before the end of the year.

Meta has not yet publicly responded to the EU's statement, according to the report. The company's willingness to accept restrictions in the US may signal a shift in its negotiating posture, but European regulators are likely to demand more than voluntary commitments.

The episode illustrates a broader pattern: the EU is increasingly willing to use its regulatory weight to shape the behaviour of American tech companies, setting standards that often become global norms. Whether that extends to the specifics of teenage screen time remains to be seen.