The European Union (EU) on the 10th warned U.S. tech giant Meta that it must modify the “addictive design” of its popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, or face hefty fines.
According to AFP, the EU accuses Meta of implementing designs on the two platforms to keep users engaged for extended periods, especially through features like infinite scrolling, highly personalized news feeds, and autoplay of videos, which expose users to unrestricted risks—particularly children and psychologically vulnerable adults.
In 2024, the European Commission launched an investigation into Meta under the bloc’s Digital Services Act. The preliminary findings released on the 10th determined that Facebook and Instagram were in violation and require design changes. Meta responded that they do not agree with the investigation’s findings but will continue to “engage constructively” with the EU.
The European Commission pointed out that changes Meta could implement include removing core addictive features such as the default settings for autoplay and infinite scrolling; establishing effective “screen time breaks,” and adjusting content recommendation systems to reduce the degree to which they align with user preferences.
If these initial findings against Meta are confirmed by EU regulators, the EU could impose fines of up to 6% of Meta’s global annual revenue.
In February this year, the EU also issued a similar warning to another popular social media platform, TikTok, demanding design changes or face steep fines.