EU regulators have formally accused Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of neglecting to address the risks posed by its platform's "addictive design" on users' physical and mental health. In a charge sheet released on Friday, the European Commission singled out features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll, which it said "shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use."
Commission Highlights Risks to Children
In a significant finding, as the EU considers a potential social media ban for minors, the commission stated that Meta had disregarded available information about the time children spend on Instagram and Facebook at night. It also noted that features like Reels and Stories could lead to "excessive or even compulsive use of its services." The commission asserted that the addictive design of these platforms breaches the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to protect users from internet harms including scams, disinformation, and illegal content.
Meta Responds to Preliminary Findings
A Meta spokesperson responded: "We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens. 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 cap daily screen time at just 15 minutes."
Wider Investigation and Potential Penalties
The findings are part of a broader investigation into Meta launched in May 2024. EU officials continue to assess other charges, notably "rabbit hole" effects where algorithms feed young users negative content, such as unrealistic body images. Additionally, the commission said Meta had broken EU law and its own terms by failing to prevent children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram. EU officials want Meta to change the design of its platforms, including scrapping autoplay and infinite scroll as defaults, implementing screen breaks, and altering algorithms to show less personalized content. Meta has the right to mount a defense and examine the commission's investigation files. If the ruling is confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its total annual turnover.
Context of Social Media Ban Discussions
The charges come days before a long-awaited report from an expert panel convened by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, examining social media bans for children. The panel is due to present recommendations on Monday. Von der Leyen has already indicated her stance, telling an AI safety conference in May: "We must consider a social media delay." She added: "The question is not whether young people should have access to social media, the question is whether social media should have access to young people." At least 10 EU member states, including France, Italy, and Spain, are drawing up plans for a social media ban, pressuring the commission to propose an EU-wide solution to avoid a patchwork of different rules.
Commission Official Statement
Announcing the latest charges, the commission's lead official on tech policy, Henna Virkkunen, said: "The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services. We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe."
