The European Union has formally charged Meta Platforms with breaching the Digital Services Act, accusing Instagram and Facebook of using addictive design features that harm users, particularly teens.
Key Points:
- Targeted Features: The EU is demanding changes to autoplay, infinite scroll, highly personalised recommendations, Reels, and Stories, which regulators say promote excessive and compulsive use.
- Criticism: The Commission says Meta’s current safeguards — such as time management tools and parental controls — are too easy to bypass and not effective enough.
- Demands: Meta must disable addictive features by default, introduce stronger screen-time breaks, and reduce engagement-driven recommendation systems.
- Consequences: Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if it fails to comply.
Meta’s Response:
The company disagrees with the preliminary findings, highlighting recent measures like Teen Accounts, automatic protections, and screen-time limits. Meta says it will continue working with regulators.
This case mirrors similar EU actions against TikTok and is part of a broader crackdown on social media platforms over mental health concerns, especially among children. A final decision is expected in the coming months.