The European Union's tech regulator has issued a warning to Meta, demanding significant alterations to "addictive" features on Facebook and Instagram, or face substantial fines.
The European Commission has targeted elements such as highly personalized recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll, asserting that these features contribute to compulsive use and can negatively affect the physical and mental well-being of users, including children. The Commission stated that Meta "did not adequately assess the risks of its addictive design on the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults."
Under the EU's Digital Services Act, companies can incur fines of up to 6% of their annual revenue for non-compliance. Based on Meta's projected fiscal 2025 revenue, this could amount to approximately $12 billion, although historical penalties in similar cases have been lower.
Regulators have specifically called for Meta to reconsider features like infinite scroll and to implement new "screen time breaks" and a recommendation system that is less focused on maximizing engagement. The investigation also found that Meta "disregarded available information about the time minors spend on Instagram or Facebook at night and how the optimization of its different formats – such as reels and stories – could lead to excessive or compulsive use of the services."
A Meta spokesperson contested the preliminary findings, stating they do not accurately reflect the company's efforts to protect teenagers. Meta highlighted its Teen Accounts feature, which offers parents tools to restrict nighttime access to Facebook and Instagram. The company contends it has taken significant steps to shield young users from social media addiction.
Meta's platforms have been under intense scrutiny in both Europe and the United States regarding their potential role in fueling social media addiction and other online harms. Earlier this year, the European Commission determined that Meta had failed to prevent users under the age of 13 from accessing its services. In the U.S., Meta is facing over 2,400 lawsuits related to its platform designs, with some critics drawing parallels to past legal battles against the tobacco industry.