Social media giant Meta has run afoul of the European Union’s Digital Services Act – facing massive fines if it refuses to redesign Facebook and Instagram. The European Commission issued a warning on Friday, targeting features designed to keep users hooked.
Regulators argue that infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendation algorithms force brains into an “autopilot mode” that fuels compulsive habits. Brussels found that Meta failed to assess how these features threaten the well-being of minors and vulnerable adults.
Furthermore, the Commission accused the platform of ignoring evidence regarding how much time minors spend on Instagram and Facebook at night, noting that Reels and Stories actively encourage excessive or compulsive platform consumption.
Officials stated that Meta’s current safety measures fail to mitigate these risks. Built-in time management tools – even those activated by default for teenagers – are easily dismissed and do not lead to any meaningful reduction of usage.
The EU is now demanding that Meta disable autoplay and infinite scroll by default. The company must also implement effective screen-time breaks and alter its recommendation algorithms to reduce the focus on user engagement.
These findings are not final, and Meta can now review the evidence to submit a formal response. However, if the violations are confirmed, the tech giant risks a fine reaching 6% of its global annual turnover.
Meta did not immediately issue a response to the regulatory announcement.
This marks the second time this year that the Commission caught Meta breaking EU laws, following an April determination that the company failed to block children under 13 from using its apps.
Meanwhile, legal pressure is mounting in the United States, where four states are seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties, claiming Meta engineered its platforms to addict youth while misleading the public about safety.
