Ireland committee hears Meta has changed teen accounts amid fresh EU and regulator scrutiny

Meta has told an Oireachtas committee that it has "fundamentally changed" how teenagers use Instagram and Facebook, as the company faces new scrutiny over how its services are presented to minors.

Dualta Ó Broin, Meta's director of public policy in Ireland, said the company was "constantly" innovating in response to risks to underage users.

He said this included "teen accounts" that restrict the type of content shown in feeds and extra steps for parents to limit material further.

The hearing came after Coimisiún na Meán launched investigations earlier this week into Meta over recommender systems on Facebook and Instagram.

Last month, the European Commission said both platforms were in breach of the EU Digital Services Act for failing to identify, assess and mitigate the risks of children under 13 accessing their services.

The commission also raised concerns about possible "dark patterns" in the design of the platforms.

These are interface features that may make it harder for users to choose a feed that is not based on profiling.

Meta said earlier this week that it was strengthening underage enforcement measures by using artificial intelligence to remove people under 13 from its services.

Mr Ó Broin said the company's services are subject to regulation by multiple regulators under the Digital Services Act.

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