La Comisión Europea carga de razones a los gobiernos europeos que están trabajando para prohibir las redes sociales a los menores de cierta edad, con la referencia puesta en los 15 ó 16 años. Bruselas anunció este miércoles a primera hora que su investigación preliminar muestra que Meta, la plataforma estadounidense propietaria, entre otras, de Facebook, Instagram y Whatsapp, viola el Acta de Servicios Digitales (la famosa DSA que tanto molesta en Washington) porque “es incapaz de identificar diligentemente y mitigar los riesgos de que menores de 13 años accedan a sus servicios”.

Los investigadores de la Comisión Europea entienden que la letra pequeña de las normas de uso de Meta son papel mojado, y que aunque en sus términos y condiciones se asegure que la edad mínima para acceder a Instagram y Facebook es de 13 años, “las medidas puestas en marcha por la empresa para implementar esas restricciones no parecen ser efectivas” porque “ni previenen adecuadamente que menores de 13 años accedan a sus servicios ni los identifica ni los saca de sus redes cuando ya consiguieron acceder a ellas”.

Es tan sencillo engañar al sistema, cuenta la Comisión Europea, como poner una fecha de nacimiento de alguien que ya tenga 13 años, pues no hay controles efectivos en marcha para chequear que efectivamente la fecha de nacimiento declarada es real.

Las plataformas tienen sistemas en marcha para que alguien reporte que ha detectado a menores de 13 años como usuarios, pero esos sistemas, entiende la Comisión Europea, son tan complicados de usar que no son efectivos.

Por ejemplo, sólo para acceder al formulario de reporte “hacen falta hasta siete clicks”. Incluso cuando alguien detecta y denuncia que ha encontrado a un menor de 13 años usando la plataforma, y gasta unas decenas de minutos en terminar el reporte, la plataforma no da seguimiento al reporte.

Bruselas señala que Meta asegura que no hay menores de 13 años usando Instagram o Facebook, cuando la Comisión Europea tiene pruebas de lo contrario por toda Europa y que entre un 10% y un 12% de los menores europeos de 13 años acceden habitualmente a esas dos redes sociales.

Además, Bruselas critica que Meta “parece no aceptar la evidencia científica disponible que indica que los niños son más vulnerables a comportamientos dañinos provocados por servicios como Facebook e Instagram”.

Bruselas exige cambios o tomará medidas. La Comisión Europea considera que Meta debe cambiar inmediatamente su metodología para enfrentar estos riesgos, aunque al hacerlo vaya a perder potencialmente a cientos de miles de usuarios en Europa. La Comisión también exige que Meta “refuerce sus medidas para prevenir, detectar y eliminar de sus servicios a menores de 13 años”.

El procedimiento no acaba aquí. La empresa estadounidense tiene ahora la posibilidad de hacer alegaciones, pero no puede no implementar de inmediato las medidas que le exige la Comisión Europea.

Bruselas envía ahora los resultados de su investigación al Panel Europeo de Servicios Digitales, un foro independiente que los analizará. Si confirma la investigación de la Comisión y la empresa no toma las medidas exigidas, la multa podría alcanzar el 6% de los ingresos mundiales de Meta. Además, la Comisión podría imponer incluso antes una multa diaria hasta que la empresa cumpliera lo exigido.

La investigación empezó en mayo de 2024 e incluye otras potenciales violaciones del Acta de Servicios Digitales, como fallos a la hora de prevenir que menores de edad (de cualquier edad por debajo de 18 años) se vean expuestos a contenido que pueda dañar su bienestar físico y mental.

Henna Virkkunen, vicepresidenta de la Comisión Europea, responsable de Soberanía Tecnológica, Seguridad y Democracia, dijo esta mañana que “las propias condiciones de Meta indican que sus servicios no son adecuados para menores de 13 años, pero Instagram y Facebook están haciendo muy poco para prevenir que niños de edad inferior a esa accedan a sus servicios”.

La decisión europea es otro choque de la Comisión Europea con las grandes plataformas estadounidenses que financiaron la campaña presidencial de Donald Trump, que la Casa Blanca intenta proteger de las leyes europeas alegando que se tratan de leyes censoras y para cuya defensa Trump ha llegado incluso a chantajear a países europeos con imponerles más aranceles.

Rick Jackson, the Republican frontrunner in Georgia’s race for governor, said he didn’t know if there were any illegal immigrants doing landscaping for him at his mansion when pressed during the race’s only debate ahead of the GOP primary next month.

«You claim to be the tough on illegal deportation, but you’ve got illegals working in your backyard as we speak right now,» fellow frontrunner Republican candidate for governor, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, argued. «Who’s the real Rick Jackson?»

Jones’ question directed at Jackson came during a portion of the Monday night debate where candidates got the opportunity to single out one of their opponents for a question. 

Jones zeroed in on criticism that while Jackson claims to be Trump’s biggest ally in the race, he has donated to the president’s rivals, such as Liz Cheney and Nikki Haley, profited off staffing abortion doctors at Planned Parenthood and has hired illegal immigrants to do landscaping at his mansion.

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«First of all, the real Rick Jackson has never taken one dollar from Planned Parenthood. We’ve never taken one dollar from recruiting surgeons to do transgender surgery for underage kids from that standpoint,» Jackson responded. «As far as illegals and so forth, I will absolutely make it the number one place in — Georgia will be number one for deporting criminal illegals. That’s my position and that’s who I am.»

Jackson added that he has «done nothing but give to many pro-life nonprofits,» as he continued his rebuttal. «I give more to nonprofits of crisis pregnancy centers here in Georgia than probably you’ve ever given in your entire life,» Jackson said of Jones.

But Jones didn’t let go of the illegal alien question.

«So, you don’t have any illegals working for you right now?» Jones pressed.

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«I don’t know,» Jackson replied incredulously. «Here’s the reason why — you’re talking about a domestic person that somebody hired — I hired thousands of people a year, Burt, I know you have about six yourself — but I hired thousands of people, other people hired them, we obey the laws, we use [unintelligible] verification,» Jackson replied before Jones interjected.

«It’s just a yes or no answer. I asked him if he has illegals working for him right now. He said he did, and then he said he didn’t, so,» Jones shot back before the moderators moved on.

Burt Jones, then-Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, speaks as Republican Governor Brian Kemp listens at a press conference on November 7, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Ahead of Monday evening’s election, the New York Post reported on legal documents from a worker’s compensation suit that Jackson was involved in, which reportedly indicated the billionaire businessman had «maintained a long-standing workforce of multiple laborers performing landscaping and property maintenance work for decades, including individuals without work authorization who nonetheless performed continuous employment for the employer.»

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The case, brought against Jackson Investment Group, LLC, and JIG Real Estate, LLC, which is owned by the former firm, reportedly suggested Jackson — the companies’ CEO — had multiple individuals without proper worker verification documents doing his landscaping. 

The documents also showed Jackson said in a deposition that he was unaware that his hires were undocumented immigrants, but he also admitted not vetting new hires using mandatory I-9 verification forms used to ensure people are eligible to work, according to the New York Post.

In other parts of the deposition, Jackson reportedly echoed what he said Monday night, that he was not directly involved with the hiring of workers and only engaged with the landscaping superintendent.

«I know that sounds confusing,» Jackson reportedly explained in his deposition. «But most of our — if we have other employees, we usually hire them through JIG or another entity. I’m talking about if JIG has employees, we hire them through another entity. I’m not sure that we have any direct employees, from a payroll standpoint, out of JIG Real Estate.»

Rick Jackson is running for governor in Georgia, promising to eliminate DEI policies. (Rick Jackson for governor/YouTube screenshot)

Jackson, meanwhile, has said if elected he is committed to going after criminal illegal aliens, adding he «doesn’t care if you’re Muslim or Mongolian, you don’t have the right to force your culture on our country» in a recent campaign advertisement that said «criminal illegals» will end up either «deported or departed» under his leadership.

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When asked about the exchange between Jones and Jackson during Monday night’s debate, Jackson’s campaign told Fox News Digital that, «it’s just like a corrupt politician to attack Rick over someone hired by his landscaper.»

«Rick would never knowingly hire someone in the country illegally and, as governor, he’ll make Georgia No. 1 in criminal illegal deportations,» the campaign spokesperson added. «The takeaway from this debate is the universal agreement that Burt Jones has used his office corruptly to enrich himself and attack his political opponents.»

The upcoming primary election between Jones, Jackson, Attorney General Chris Carr, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and others will take place on May 19.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison for resisting arrest and bypassing a legitimate Cabinet meeting before his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.

The conviction for obstruction of justice and other charges comes on top of a life sentence he has already received on rebellion charges stemming from his baffling authoritarian push, which triggered the most serious crisis for the country’s democracy in decades.

Judge Yoon Sung-sik of the Seoul High Court said the conservative former president sidestepped a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting before declaring martial law, falsified documents to conceal the lapse, and deployed security officials «like a private army» to resist law enforcement efforts to arrest him in the weeks following his impeachment. Former President Yoon stood quietly as the verdict was delivered and made no comment.

SOUTH KOREAN COURT RULES EX‑PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL GUILTY IN INSURRECTION TRIAL

Yoo Jeong-hwa, one of Yoon’s lawyers, called the verdict «very disappointing» and said the legal team would appeal to the Supreme Court. Yoon has also appealed his life sentence.

A lower court in January sentenced Yoon to five years in prison but partially cleared him of abuse-of-power charges tied to the Cabinet meeting ahead of the martial law declaration, finding he was not responsible for the failure to attend of two members who were invited.

The Seoul High Court reversed that acquittal, finding him guilty on all counts and ruling that he violated the rights of those two as well as seven other Cabinet members who weren’t notified by convening only a select few to simulate a formal meeting.

SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTOR SEEKS DEATH PENALTY FOR EX-PRESIDENT YOON OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION: ‘SELF-COUP’

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Feb. 11, 2025. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

Though brief, Yoon’s Dec. 3, 2024, martial law decree threw the country into a severe political crisis, paralyzing politics and high-level diplomacy and rattling financial markets. The turmoil eased only after his liberal rival, Lee Jae Myung, won an early presidential election in June.

Yoon was suspended from office on Dec. 14, 2024, after being impeached by the liberal-led legislature and was formally removed by the Constitutional Court in April 2025.

Following his suspension from office, he refused to comply with a Seoul court’s warrant to detain him for questioning, setting up a standoff in which dozens of investigators arrived at the presidential residence in early January 2025 but were blocked by presidential security forces and vehicle barricades. He was detained later that month, released by another court in March, and was then re-arrested in July.

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, on April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

He remained in custody after that as a series of criminal trials, which are continuing, began.

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Wednesday’s ruling came a day after the same court increased to four years the sentence of Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, for charges including accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church, which sought political favors from Yoon’s government, and involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme.

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally outside the Seoul High Court in Seoul on April 29, 2026. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Prosecutors in a separate trial last week also requested a 30-year prison term for Yoon over allegations that he deliberately tried to escalate tensions with North Korea in 2024 by ordering drone flights over Pyongyang as he sought to create justifiable conditions for martial law at home.