The European Union has warned Meta that it must overhaul the "addictive" design of Facebook and Instagram or face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. In preliminary findings published on Friday, the European Commission said features such as infinite scroll, autoplaying videos and personalised recommendations encouraged "compulsive use", particularly among children and teens. The endless stream of content could "shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits", the Commission said.
"Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms," said EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen. The Commission argued that Meta had failed to adequately assess the risks posed by how its platforms were designed, as well as how long children spent on them, especially at night. It raised specific concerns about features such as Reels and Stories, and claimed that Meta's safeguards did not go far enough.
“EU threatens Meta with up to 6% fine over 'addictive' design of Facebook and Instagram.”
Time-management tools on Facebook and Instagram, including those enabled by default for teenagers, could be dismissed and did not meaningfully reduce usage, the Commission said. It also criticised Meta's parental controls, arguing they were effective only if parents had the time and technical expertise to use them properly.
Meta disputed the findings. A spokesperson said the tech giant disagreed with the Commission's conclusions, "which don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens". The company pointed to its Teen Accounts, which it said "automatically protect teens and put parents in control – allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and cap daily screen time at just 15 minutes".
The tech giant can now review the evidence against it and submit its formal response. "We share the European Commission's commitment to providing teens with safe, positive online experiences and will continue to engage constructively with them," the spokesperson added.
The EU has stepped up efforts in recent months to force big technology companies to better protect users online, particularly children. The findings come ahead of recommendations expected on Monday from an expert panel tasked with proposing new ways to shield children from harmful online content. The EU is facing pressure to act, with countries including France pushing for a social media ban for minors following Australia's restrictions for under-16s.