European Union regulators took formal action against Meta’s Instagram and Facebook on Friday, accusing the tech giant of violating the bloc’s digital rules by using features designed to keep users endlessly scrolling and engaged.
The European Commission announced its preliminary findings after a two-year probe conducted under the EU’s Digital Services Act — a sweeping law that requires major online platforms to take stronger steps against harmful and illegal content.
The Commission said Meta failed to properly evaluate the addictive dangers posed by highly personalized content recommendations, autoplay videos, and infinite scroll — tools that continuously serve users new material and encourage them to keep watching. Regulators also flagged that reels and stories on both Facebook and Instagram could contribute to compulsive or excessive use.
Officials criticized Meta’s existing safeguards as insufficient, noting that time management tools can be easily ignored and that parental controls demand considerable effort and technical know-how to use properly.
The Commission is calling on Meta to turn off features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce meaningful screen-time breaks, and make its content recommendation system less focused on maximizing user engagement.
Meta pushed back against the charges. Spokesperson Ben Walters said, “We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens.”
Walters added, “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.” The company said it would continue engaging constructively with EU officials.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told Reuters the matter is straightforward: “Our starting point is that, based on our findings, this design is too addictive and changes need to be made.” She warned, “The next step is either that Meta changes its design or a non compliance decision will follow.”
Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its total global annual revenue if found in violation. The company has the opportunity to respond to the charges before the Commission issues a final ruling in the months ahead.
The action against Meta comes just months after the Commission brought similar charges against TikTok in February, demanding comparable changes to that platform’s app. Last month, Meta also failed in its attempt to have claims dismissed from 29 U.S. state attorneys general alleging that Facebook and Instagram are addictive to children.
Regulators are separately looking into so-called “rabbit hole” effects caused by Facebook and Instagram’s recommendation algorithms, which can pull users deeper into prolonged viewing sessions through similar content suggestions. A separate case announced in April also directed Meta to do more to stop children under 13 from accessing its platforms.
The Commission is set to receive expert findings on Monday that could help lay the groundwork for a Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers — a move Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce during her September state of the union address.
Social media companies are facing increasing pressure worldwide as concerns mount that their platforms are fueling a mental health crisis among young people, with some governments already moving to restrict or ban underage access.
