EU tells Meta to change addictive platform features or face fines

The European Commission (EC) has preliminarily concluded that Meta's platforms, Instagram and Facebook, are in breach of the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA). The EC found that the design of these services encourages compulsive use, posing systemic risks, particularly to children and vulnerable users.

Meta has been instructed to redesign its platforms by disabling features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default. The company must also implement effective screen-time breaks and modify its recommender systems to prioritize content that is less focused on maximizing engagement. The EC expects Meta to improve its assessment and mitigation of risks stemming from platform design.

This preliminary finding follows an investigation launched in May 2024 into Meta's compliance with the DSA regarding risk assessment and mitigation. The Commission determined that Meta had failed to adequately consider the impact of personalized recommendations, autoplay, infinite scroll, and push notifications on user well-being. Existing safeguards were deemed insufficient to mitigate these risks.

The EC specifically criticized Meta's existing tools, such as time management features and parental controls, finding them easy to dismiss or requiring significant technical knowledge from parents. If the Commission ultimately confirms these findings, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its total worldwide annual turnover. Meta has the opportunity to review the investigation file and submit a written response before a final decision is made.