Snapchat, the platform that once revolutionised the way young people communicate, has found itself at the centre of Europe’s most important digital responsibility dispute in years. The European Commission has formally launched an investigation against Snap Inc. alleging systemic failures to protect minors. The case goes beyond mere scrutiny – it is a test of the effectiveness of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which could cost the giant up to 6% of global revenues.
EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen has put the case sharply, suggesting that Snapchat has failed to bring its standards up to the strict requirements of the law. The allegations are serious, ranging from ineffective moderation tools that allow for drug and e-cigarette trafficking, to a hollow age verification system.
Of particular concern is the phenomenon of so-called ‘child grooming’ and the ease with which minors can be exposed to criminal content. Brussels has also taken over an earlier investigation by Dutch regulators focusing on the sale of vaporisers to children.
This shows that the EU intends to act as a single, centralised supervisory authority, eliminating fragmented attempts at national enforcement.
From a business perspective, Snapchat’s situation is complicated. The company has struggled for years to monetise its user base in the shadow of Meta and TikTok. The need to overhaul the app’s architecture – including changing default account settings and eliminating so-called ‘dark patterns’ (deceptive interfaces) – could affect user engagement and growth rates.
