Stories from Belgium

EU internet watchdogs are demanding that Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, enforce the minimum age of 13 years as specified in their terms of use. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 6% of the company's global annual turnover. Data indicates up to 12% of children in that age group use these applications. Existing age restrictions could be easily bypassed, potentially exposing children to inappropriate content. Current reporting procedures for child accounts are described as too cumbersome and ineffective for risk mitigation. The report was filed by Andreas Meier-Feest. Preliminary investigation results suggest current protections are inadequate. Mark Zuckerberg may face penalties for these failures. European regulators have demanded that US-based Meta take more action to protect children on its platforms.

Train circulation is at a standstill in both directions between Brussels-Midi and Bresembourg stations. The stoppage follows an accident involving a person at Linkbeek. Replacement buses are operating between Bresembourg and Brussels-Midi.

Brewery AB Inbev is working to reduce water consumption during production. The company aims to return more water to the basins from which it sources its supply than is required for beer production. This initiative is intended to protect biodiversity and manage resources against droughts and heatwaves, according to the Chief Sustainability Officer. Google has set a goal to replenish 120% of the water used in its data centers.

The Belgian opposition filed a series of amendments regarding the 2026 federal budget, leading to a postponement of the vote. The budget includes discussions on rising gas and electricity access costs and partial capping of wage indexation. The majority attempted to advance discussions, but the opposition refused to participate in the session. The federal Health Minister also intends to review access conditions for certain medical intervention beneficiaries. The opposition filed a new series of amendments to be sent to the Council of State, leading to the postponement. The opposition, including the PS, MR, and Flemish liberals, filed a series of amendments to the government's program law. The opposition intends to present its arguments once the Council of State has issued its opinion.

More than 100,000 products have been issued alerts and must be withdrawn from sale. The report was released by researchers. The announcement follows an annual report process. According to fraud repression authorities, 36% of products tested on platforms such as Shein, Temu, or AliExpress are considered dangerous. The alert concerns products sold on low-price platforms.

The European Commission has identified compliance failures regarding the Digital Services Act at Meta-owned platforms Instagram and Facebook. The Commission stated that Meta's Facebook and Instagram do not provide sufficient protections to control minor users and is threatening the parent company with fines. Experts warned that age-control measures could be quickly bypassed. Regulators are demanding that both platforms strictly enforce the minimum age requirement of 13 years as stated in their terms of service. The investigation focuses on the potential dangers these platforms pose to minors. The European Commission has issued preliminary findings regarding Instagram and Facebook's failure to protect children. A long-awaited age verification app for the internet was also discussed in relation to these findings. Andreas Meier commented on the situation from Brussels.

Google has released updates to address four critical security flaws in the Chrome browser. Users in Belgium and globally are advised to install the latest version to mitigate risks.

Increased vigilance is reported around Jewish institutions in Belgium, specifically in Antwerp. Military personnel are patrolling Jewish neighborhoods following incidents in the United Kingdom.

Alphabet received a one billion euro fine from the European Union due to competition distortions in Google advertising. The European Union is also investigating other issues including data access and data exchange. Apple is currently under scrutiny by the European Commission regarding platform restrictions. TikTok is also being monitored by regulators concerning protection measures for young users. The European Commission is also pursuing actions against X. Additionally, the EU is monitoring TikTok concerning protection measures for young users and is also taking action against X. The report noted that previous measures taken by the company to address these issues were insufficient. This fine is cited as one of several points of criticism from the EU. Investigations into X are also ongoing, according to the report.

Amazon's Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, David Zapolsky, has called on EU regulators to reform VAT rules. He claims current regulations disadvantage EU-based sellers. The request was made during a discussion with Euractiv.