Meta is in big trouble with the European Union over how addictive its apps are, and this time it could cost the company big. The European Commission announced today that Meta breached the Digital Services Act, a law that requires large online platforms to assess and reduce the risks tied to their design.
The Commission’s preliminary findings specifically called out Instagram and Facebook features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendations, which are the tools that keep you glued to your screen for hours.
Why does the EU think Meta’s apps are addictive?
According to the Commission, Meta never properly studied how these features affect users’ mental and physical health, especially minors and vulnerable adults. Regulators say autoplay and infinite scroll constantly serve up new content, pushing the brain into “autopilot mode” and fueling compulsive use. The investigation also found that Meta overlooked data on how much time teens spend on its platforms late at night.
Are Meta’s safety tools even working?
Not according to the EU. The Commission says Instagram and Facebook’s time management tools, even the ones switched on by default for teens, are too easy to dismiss and don’t meaningfully cut down screen time.
Parental controls don’t fare much better either, since they only work if parents have the technical know-how and patience to set them up correctly. Even Meta’s safety tips and mental health resources tucked away on a separate page don’t seem to help much.
What redesign does the commission want Meta to make?
The Commission has recommended that Meta make real design changes to both Instagram and Facebook. That includes disabling addictive features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default, adding effective screen time breaks, and tweaking its recommender system so it’s less focused on keeping you hooked.
If the company fails to do so, it could be fined up to 6% of its global annual revenue for each platform, a number that could run into billions of dollars. Meta has disagreed with this assessment, which is unsurprising. The company says the findings don’t reflect the steps it has already taken to protect teens. It now gets a chance to respond before the Commission reaches a final decision.