EU Commission: Meta breached Digital Services Act with addictive designs

The European Commission has determined that technology giant Meta has violated the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). The violation stems from design features within Instagram and Facebook that are considered potentially 'addictive' and harmful to user well-being, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults.

According to the Commission's preliminary report, Meta failed to adequately consider the risks associated with these design elements. Such features include infinite scroll, autoplay content, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation algorithms.

Meta has previously stated that it has implemented measures to protect teenagers. These include Teen Accounts, which reportedly offer automatic protections and parental controls, allowing for limitations on nighttime usage and a daily screen time cap of 15 minutes.

If the Commission's findings are confirmed, Meta could face fines up to 6% of its total annual turnover. A spokesperson for Meta stated disagreement with the preliminary findings, emphasizing the significant steps taken to protect teens, and affirmed continued constructive engagement with the Commission.