The European Union on Friday formally charged Meta Platforms with violating its tech regulations, following a two-year investigation under the landmark Digital Services Act. Regulators allege that Facebook and Instagram feature designs—specifically autoplay, infinite scroll, and highly personalized algorithmic recommendations—are deliberately engineered to induce compulsive use and hook consumers. The European Commission has demanded structural changes to these engagement mechanics, warning that Meta risks fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if it fails to act.
The antitrust and tech enforcement division criticized Meta’s existing safety measures, characterizing current time-management tools as easily bypassed and parental controls as overly complex. The Commission stated that Meta should disable infinite scroll and autoplay by default, implement mandatory screen-time breaks, and re-engineer recommendation systems to prioritize user well-being over raw engagement. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen emphasized that the platform architecture is inherently too addictive and noted that the company must either modify its interface design or face an official non-compliance ruling.
Meta has rejected the findings, with spokesperson Ben Walters arguing that the charges overlook the firm’s proactive safety measures, such as the rollout of “Teen Accounts” that restrict nighttime access and allow parents to cap daily use at 15 minutes. This European regulatory action mirrors a separate, ongoing EU investigation into algorithmic “rabbit hole” effects, as well as a previous case demanding that Meta bar users under 13 from its platforms. The ruling also follows Meta’s failed legal attempt to dismiss similar child-addiction lawsuits brought by 29 U.S. state attorneys general. Furthermore, the Commission is scheduled to review expert findings on Monday that could lay the groundwork for a broader, Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers.
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