8 hours agoChildren's security, European Commission launches investigation into Snapchat for violations of digital security laws
Periskopi(3 months ago)
(3 months ago)The European Commission has launched an investigation to determine whether Snapchat has exposed minors to sexual abuse and criminal recruiting, potentially violating EU laws for digital security. The Commission said on Thursday that it doubts the platform could allow adults to disguise themselves as new users who later contact [...]
The commission said Thursday that it doubts that the platform could allow adults to disguise themselves as new users who then contact children to recruit them for illegal activities or to exploit them sexually.
“From sexual harassment and exposure to illegal products to account claims that harm the safety of minors, Snapchat appears to have overlooked the fact that the Digital Services Act requires high security standards for all users”, said Herna Virkken, executive vice president for sovereignty, security and democracy in technology.
With this investigation, we will look closely at their compliance with our “legislation, she added.
The investigation will be under the Digital Services Act (DSA), following a review of the platform's risk assessments from 2023 to 2025, and additional information received last October concerning the verification of age and illegal activity.
The Commission's announcement marks the beginning of formal procedures, which could lead to further “implementation of” at a later stage. Snapchat can also propose changes to his policies and practices in response to the investigation.
