The European Union (EU) has summoned tech giants Apple, Snapchat, and YouTube for questioning over growing concerns about online safety risks to children on their platforms.
Officials in Brussels said the companies must explain how their algorithms, privacy policies, and design features protect—or potentially harm—minors in the digital space.
The inquiry falls under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which demands stricter accountability from major online platforms regarding content moderation, data handling, and user protection.
EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said the hearings would focus on issues like addictive content, exposure to harmful material, and data privacy breaches involving minors.
“We want concrete answers, not PR statements. Big Tech must show it takes children’s safety seriously,” Breton stated.
The commission has also requested information from Google Play and Apple’s App Store regarding the steps taken to stop kids from downloading hazardous or unlawful apps, such as those that include s3xual or gambling content.
“Privacy, security and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case, and that’s why the commission is tightening the enforcement of our rules,” tech chief Henna Virkkunen said before EU ministers met in Denmark.
The move follows mounting public pressure across Europe to hold social media and tech platforms responsible for their impact on youth mental health, especially after several reports linked social media use to anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders among teenagers.
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