EU warns Meta over 'addictive' Facebook and Instagram design, threatening multibillion-dollar fine
The European Commission has issued a stark warning to Meta, stating that the 'addictive' design of Facebook and Instagram may violate EU digital rules and demanding changes to protect children and teens.
The Commission's preliminary findings
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings that Meta's platforms, Facebook and Instagram, exhibit an 'addictive' design that may violate the EU's Digital Services Act. The Commission highlighted features such as infinite scroll, autoplaying videos, and personalised recommendation algorithms, arguing they risk encouraging 'compulsive use', a danger it considers particularly acute for children and teenagers. The findings state that this endless stream of content can 'shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits'. The EU tech chief, Henna Virkkunen, emphasized the bloc’s stance in a statement.
Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms.
The Commission's two-year investigation concluded that Meta had failed to adequately assess the risks posed by its platform designs. It specifically criticized features like Reels and Stories. The findings claim Meta's existing time-management tools, even those enabled by default for teenagers, can be easily dismissed and do not meaningfully reduce usage. The EU also took aim at parental controls, arguing they are only effective if parents have the time and technical expertise to understand and use them properly.
Meta’s response and potential penalty
Meta quickly pushed back against the preliminary findings. A company spokesperson told the BBC that it disagreed with the assessment, stating it did not accurately account for the measures it has implemented.
The findings don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens.
Meta pointed to the rollout of Teen Accounts, which it says 'automatically protect teens and put parents in control - allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and cap daily screen time at just 15 minutes'. The company now has the opportunity to respond to the EU’s concerns, though German media notes that there is no set deadline for its response. Should Meta fail to satisfy the Commission, it faces a fine of up to 6% of its total global annual turnover. According to tagesschau.de, this could amount to more than 12 billion US dollars (approximately 10.5 billion euros). The article also notes that the EU is simultaneously pursuing a similar case against TikTok over addiction risks.
The push for an EU-wide ban
Beyond the immediate warnings to Meta, the European Commission is moving towards broader legislative action. POLITICO reports that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is personally driving a push for EU-wide age restrictions on social media. Four officials indicated that von der Leyen could unveil plans for these restrictions as soon as September. This follows a POLITICO report from March that the Commission’s tech department had already drafted a version of the law.
Usually it is better to explain the problem and find hopefully the best solution to the problem. If you have already said that we are going for a ban and we are looking for a way how to do it, then this is a little bit biased.
An expert report, led by child psychiatrist Jörg Fegert and social epidemiologist Maria Melchior, was released to provide an 'evidence base' for any proposed ban. However, opponents such as Estonian Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta argue the process is biased toward a predetermined outcome. The move aligns Europe with a global trend, as Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia have already enforced age restrictions, while Turkey, France, and the United Kingdom are advancing their own legislation.
