EU says Facebook, Instagram's 'addictive design' breaks law
What's the story
A preliminary EU investigation has found Meta in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the "addictive" design features of Instagram and Facebook. The European Commission has called out specific features like personalized recommendations, autoplay videos, and infinite scroll as contributing factors.
Design flaws
Meta's tools to limit user engagement are easily dismissed
The European Commission has criticized Meta for not properly assessing the impact of its "addictive" design on users' physical and mental health, especially minors and vulnerable adults. The report also highlights that Meta's tools to limit user engagement are easily dismissed or technically challenging. Parental controls, it says, require a lot of effort from parents to be effective.
Proposed alterations
Redesigning platforms could be the way forward for Meta
The European Commission has suggested that Meta should redesign both Facebook and Instagram. This could include disabling features like autoplay videos and infinite scroll by default, introducing effective screen time breaks, and making the recommendation algorithm less engagement-oriented. The investigation started in May 2024, with a separate assessment of Meta's age verification tools and content protections for minors still ongoing.
Possible penalties
Meta could face hefty fines
If the European Commission's decision is finalized, Meta could face a noncompliance fine of up to 6% of its global annual revenue. In 2025, this was $200.97 billion, which means Meta could be looking at a fine as high as $12 billion. The ruling comes as the EU considers a continent-wide ban on social media for under-16s.
Company response
Meta defends its measures to protect teens
In light of the findings, Meta has defended its measures to protect teens. The company said it has rolled out Teen Accounts that automatically protect teens and give parents control over their children's Instagram usage. "We share the European Commission's commitment to providing teens with safe, positive online experiences and will continue to engage constructively with them," Meta added in a statement.