Facebook and Instagram’s ‘addictive design’ may violate European law, EU Commission finds

The European Commission has mandated that Meta implement substantial changes to its Facebook and Instagram platforms due to concerns over their potentially addictive features. Highlighting functionalities like autoplay, infinite scrolling, personalized recommendations, and constant push notifications, the Commission warned that these elements could jeopardize users' physical and mental health. In a statement released on Thursday, the Commission indicated that Meta has not sufficiently addressed or informed users about these risks, possibly violating the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This remark follows an investigation initiated in 2024 to determine if Meta is breaching these extensive regulations, which took effect the previous year. The findings, which Meta contests, coincide with rulings from two U.S. juries earlier this year that accused the company of deliberately fostering addiction and harming younger users through similar features. Several countries, including some EU members, are moving to restrict social media access for younger teens, particularly after Australia became the first nation to impose a ban on social media for children under 16 last year. In response to the Commission's findings, Meta spokesperson Ben Walters expressed disagreement, asserting that the investigation does not accurately reflect the significant measures the company has undertaken to ensure teen safety. He stated, "Since this investigation began, we rolled out Teen Accounts that automatically protect teens and put parents in control, allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and limit daily screen time to just 15 minutes." The European Commission's findings are still preliminary, and Meta will have the chance to contest them. Should the company be found in violation of the DSA, it could face fines up to 6% of its global revenue, potentially exceeding $12 billion based on last year's financial results. The report emphasized that Meta underestimated the risks associated with features like autoplay and infinite scrolling, which can lead users into a state of compulsive use. It criticized the effectiveness of Meta's existing time management features, noting that reminders can be easily ignored and parental controls require technical knowledge that many parents may not possess. A recent study conducted by researchers at New York University and Northeastern University revealed that 66% of Instagram's youth safety tools are either non-functional or too challenging for younger users to locate. The same report highlighted concerns over how easily users could disregard time management reminders. In defense, Meta stated that their features were designed to serve as reminders, ultimately allowing young users to choose their app usage, even though parents can enforce stricter time limits. Meta introduced its "Teen Accounts" safety settings in 2024 after facing years of backlash regarding the platform's impact on adolescents' mental health. These settings offer default privacy protections, time restrictions, and content limitations for users under 18, although those aged 16 and 17 can opt-out of some settings. The Commission has suggested that Meta consider disabling key addictive features like autoplay and infinite scrolling, which would significantly alter how these platforms function. Additionally, it has recommended adjustments to the company's recommendation systems to reduce their focus on user engagement.