The European Union has accused Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of violating the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA) by using platform features that regulators say are deliberately designed to keep users engaged in unhealthy ways. The European Commission's preliminary findings focus on features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, push notifications, and highly personalised recommendation systems, which it says can encourage compulsive use, especially among children and teenagers.
According to the Commission, Meta failed to properly assess and reduce the risks these design features pose to users' physical and mental health. EU regulators also argued that the company's existing safeguards, including parental controls and screen-time management tools, are too complicated and insufficient to protect young users from excessive use of the platforms.
The Commission has demanded that Meta make significant changes, including disabling autoplay and infinite scrolling by default, introducing more effective screen-time reminders, and reducing the reliance of its recommendation algorithms on engagement-driven content. Regulators believe these measures are necessary to better protect users, particularly minors, from addictive online behaviour.
Meta rejected the EU's preliminary findings, saying it has already introduced important safety measures such as Teen Accounts, stronger parental controls, and additional protections for younger users. The company said it will respond formally to the Commission before a final decision is made.
If the European Commission ultimately confirms that Meta has breached the Digital Services Act, the company could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue. The case is part of the EU's broader effort to hold major technology companies accountable for the impact of their platforms on users' wellbeing and online safety.