The European Union has accused Meta Platforms of violating its landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), alleging that Facebook and Instagram were designed with features that encourage compulsive use and pose risks to users’ physical and mental health.
In preliminary findings released Friday, the European Commission said Meta must redesign key elements of its platforms, including disabling default features such as infinite scrolling and video autoplay, arguing that they contribute to addictive behavior. The findings mark another step in the EU’s broader effort to hold major technology companies accountable for how their platforms affect users, especially minors.
If the commission ultimately determines that Meta breached the DSA, the company could face a fine of up to 6% of its annual global revenue.
Commission targets engagement-driven design
According to the commission, Meta failed to adequately assess the risks associated with design features that continuously deliver personalized content, including recommendation algorithms, push notifications and endless scrolling feeds.
The commission said these features place users’ brains on “autopilot,” encouraging compulsive engagement and increasing potential harm to physical and mental well-being.
Brussels also argued that Meta’s existing tools designed to help users manage time spent on Facebook and Instagram are insufficient because they can be easily dismissed, overridden or require technical knowledge that many parents may lack.
As part of its preliminary findings, the commission said Meta should introduce stronger measures to encourage users to take breaks, make recommendation systems less focused on maximizing engagement, and ensure addictive features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling are not enabled by default.
Meta defends safety measures
Meta said the commission’s assessment does not fully acknowledge the safety measures it has introduced since the investigation began.
The company pointed to its Teen Accounts initiative, which automatically applies protections for younger users and gives parents greater control over account settings.
In a statement, Meta said the feature allows parents to block Instagram access during nighttime hours and limit daily screen time to 15 minutes.
“We share the European Commission’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive online experiences and will continue to engage constructively with them,” the company said.
Meta now has the opportunity to respond to the preliminary findings before the commission reaches a final decision.
EU intensifies oversight of online child safety
Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president responsible for technology policy, said social media companies must prioritize the health and well-being of European users.
“Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms,” Virkkunen said in a written statement.
The latest allegations expand an investigation the commission opened in 2024 into Meta’s compliance with the Digital Services Act.
Earlier this year, the EU also accused Meta of failing to prevent children younger than 13—the company’s minimum age requirement—from creating Facebook and Instagram accounts. The commission further alleged that Meta had not done enough to identify and remove underage users after accounts had been created.
The latest preliminary findings underscore the European Union’s continuing effort to enforce the Digital Services Act, which requires major online platforms to evaluate and reduce systemic risks posed by their services, including risks affecting children and vulnerable users.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Article Topics: Meta | European Union | Digital Services Act | Facebook | Instagram | Online Safety | Social Media Regulation
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