EU Rules Instagram, Facebook as Addictive; Redesign Likely
▼ Summary
– Meta is in preliminary breach of the EU’s Digital Services Act due to the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook, and may be forced to redesign both apps or face a fine of up to $12 billion.
– The European Commission criticized features like personalized recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll for fueling addictive scrolling behavior.
– Meta’s user protection tools, including time management features and parental controls, were deemed insufficient or too difficult to use effectively.
– Potential remedies include disabling autoplay and infinite scroll by default, implementing screentime breaks, and making recommendation algorithms less engagement-focused.
– The investigation began in May 2024, and Meta can still defend itself; a final decision could lead to a fine of up to 6% of its annual turnover, and the EU is also considering a social media ban for under-16s.
The European Commission has issued a preliminary ruling that Meta is violating the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook. This decision could force the company to overhaul both platforms and potentially pay a fine of up to $12 billion.
According to the Commission, Meta failed to properly evaluate how its design choices harm users’ physical and mental health, particularly among minors and vulnerable adults. Specific features cited include personalized recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll, which the Commission argues push users into a state of “autopilot mode” and make it difficult to stop scrolling.
The report also takes aim at Meta’s existing safeguards. It notes that time management tools are too easy to dismiss, parental controls demand significant technical know-how and effort from parents, and the company’s mental health awareness initiatives are insufficient to counteract the risks.
The Commission suggests that Meta may need to redesign both Facebook and Instagram. Proposed changes include disabling autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introducing effective screentime breaks, and reworking the recommendation algorithm to be less engagement-focused.
The investigation, which started in May 2024, is also looking into Meta’s age verification and content protections for minors. Meta now has an opportunity to respond, but if the Commission finalizes its decision, the company could face a noncompliance fine of up to 6 percent of its global annual turnover. With Meta’s 2025 revenue at $200.97 billion, that penalty could reach $12 billion.
This development coincides with the EU’s broader push to protect young people online. A report on a potential blocwide ban on social media for under-16s is expected next Monday. Meanwhile, Meta is also facing a US trial in August over allegations that its apps are intentionally addictive, with four states reportedly seeking combined penalties as high as $1.4 trillion.
“Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms,” said Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s tech policy chief. “The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services. We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe.”
(Source: The Verge)
