EU says ‘addictive’ features on Instagram and Facebook breach its rules

EU regulators have formally accused Meta of failing to address the mental and physical health risks associated with the "addictive design" of Facebook and Instagram. The European Commission stated that features like video autoplay and infinite scroll contribute to compulsive use and unhealthy habits, particularly among children. These accusations, part of an investigation launched in May 2024, allege a breach of the EU's Digital Services Act. Meta disputes the findings, highlighting steps taken to protect teens, including new "Teen Accounts." The commission is considering potential fines of up to 6% of Meta's annual turnover if the ruling is confirmed, as the EU explores broader measures like social media bans for minors.

The European Union has accused Meta of violating its social media law by designing Facebook and Instagram with features that encourage addictive user behavior. The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, has issued new charges against Meta Platforms under the Digital Services Act, demanding the company disable "key addictive features" like infinite scrolling and autoplay videos. The Commission stated that Meta failed to adequately assess the risks these features pose to users' physical and mental health, particularly minors, and that existing parental controls are easily bypassed. Meta has the opportunity to respond before a final decision is made, which could result in significant fines. Meta maintains it has implemented measures to protect teens, such as Teen Accounts with parental controls.

The European Union has accused Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, of designing its platforms to be addictive, potentially leading to hefty fines. The European Commission's preliminary findings, following a two-year investigation, indicate Meta is in breach of the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU alleges Meta failed to adequately assess the risks to users' physical and mental health, citing features like autoplay videos, personalized recommendations, and infinite scrolling as contributing to "autopilot mode" and compulsive use. The commission is calling for Meta to implement design changes, including disabling these "key addictive features" and amending default settings to curb unhealthy habits.