EU threatens Meta with fines over addictive features on Facebook and Ins…

The European Union has escalated its regulatory scrutiny of Meta, ordering the tech giant to overhaul the design of Facebook and Instagram or face significant fines under the Digital Services Act. The European Commission’s preliminary findings, announced on Friday, accuse Meta of deploying features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and hyper-personalized recommendation algorithms that it claims create "addictive" user experiences. These elements, the Commission argues, exploit psychological tendencies to keep users engaged, contributing to compulsive behavior and harm to mental and physical well-being, particularly among minors.

The Commission highlighted that Meta failed to adequately assess the risks posed by its platform designs, including the excessive time spent by young users on Instagram and Facebook during nighttime hours. Features like Reels and Stories, it said, exacerbate this issue by encouraging prolonged engagement. The regulator criticized Meta’s existing tools for managing screen time, such as default time management settings for teens, as insufficient. These tools, it noted, can be easily bypassed, and parental controls require technical expertise to be effective.

Meta is now required to disable addictive features by default, implement mandatory screen-time breaks, and modify its recommendation algorithms to reduce their focus on user engagement. If the Commission’s findings are confirmed, the company could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. Based on Meta’s 2025 revenue of €176 billion, this could amount to €11 billion in penalties. The company has yet to issue a formal response, though a spokesperson stated it disagrees with the findings, citing steps taken to protect young users, including the rollout of "Teen Accounts" with parental controls.

This marks the second time this year the EU has targeted Meta for regulatory violations. In April, the Commission found the company failing to prevent children under 13 from using its platforms. The current investigation, launched in May 2024, also examines Meta’s age verification systems and content protections for minors. The Commission’s tech policy chief, Henna Virkkunen, emphasized that "protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority," citing the Digital Services Act as a framework for holding platforms accountable.

Meta faces additional challenges beyond the EU. In the United States, four states have filed a lawsuit seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties, alleging the company designed its platforms to addict young users. The EU’s actions also mirror similar regulatory pressures elsewhere, such as its recent demand for WhatsApp to allow rival AI chatbots, a move aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices. The Commission’s investigation into WhatsApp’s AI integration, which currently blocks third-party services, is ongoing, with potential penalties for non-compliance.

The EU’s broader strategy reflects growing global concern over the societal impacts of social media. Regulators are increasingly focusing on "addictive design" as a public health issue, with some governments exploring bans on social media for under-16s. The Commission is set to release a report next week on potential age restrictions, which could influence future legislation. Meanwhile, Meta’s legal battles highlight the tension between innovation and regulation, as the company navigates conflicting demands from multiple jurisdictions.

As the Commission prepares to finalize its decision, Meta’s ability to challenge the findings will determine the next steps. The company has previously contested EU rulings, but the stakes are high: a non-compliance decision could trigger substantial financial penalties and force sweeping changes to its platform designs. For now, the EU’s actions underscore its determination to enforce digital regulations, even as tech companies push back against what they view as overreach.