The European Commission has warned Meta that it must modify the design of Facebook and Instagram to address “addictive” features or risk substantial penalties.
According to preliminary findings, features such as infinite scrolling, autoplaying videos, and personalized content recommendations may foster compulsive usage patterns, particularly among children and teenagers.
Non-compliance could result in penalties of up to 6% of Meta’s global annual revenue. A company spokesperson informed the BBC of their disagreement with the findings, noting that they overlook the significant measures already implemented to safeguard teen users.
The Commission’s report argues that the constant stream of content induces an “autopilot” state in users, potentially leading to unhealthy behavioral habits.
The agency emphasizes the heightened vulnerability of young users and stresses that protecting their physical and mental well-being must be a top priority for social media companies.
The Commission further stated that Meta failed to adequately evaluate the risks associated with its platforms’ design and user engagement metrics, particularly concerning children’s nightly usage duration.
Reels and Stories features were specifically cited as contributors to excessive engagement, with the Commission arguing that existing platform safeguards remain insufficient.
While Meta has introduced time-management tools on both platforms, including default settings for teenagers, the Commission notes these can be easily dismissed and lack efficacy in meaningfully reducing usage time.
Parental controls were also criticized as overly reliant on parental technical expertise, whereas Meta countered by highlighting Teen Accounts that enforce automatic restrictions, such as nighttime access blocks and a daily screen time cap of 15 minutes.
