EU threatens Meta with fines over addictive features on Facebook and Instagram

The European Commission said on Friday that Meta must overhaul the addictive design of Facebook and Instagram or face a fine. The tech giant is violating the Digital Services Act by focusing on features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation algorithms, the Commission stated. These features encourage users to keep scrolling and put the brain into "autopilot mode," contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use. The Commission found that Meta failed to adequately assess the risks posed by its addictive design to users' physical and mental well-being, including minors and vulnerable adults. Meta also ignored evidence about how much time minors spend on Instagram and Facebook at night and how features like Reels and Stories could encourage excessive or compulsive use. "Evidence also shows that Meta’s current mitigation measures failed to effectively tackle the risks stemming from its addictive design," the Commission wrote. "For example, Instagram’s and Facebook’s time management tools, including those activated by default for teens, can be easily dismissed and do not lead to a meaningful reduction and control of the usage of the service." The Commission is calling on Meta to disable key addictive features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce effective screen-time breaks, and modify its recommendation algorithm to be less focused on user engagement. The findings are not final; Meta will have the opportunity to review the evidence and submit a formal response. If confirmed, Meta faces a fine of up to 6% of its total global annual turnover. Meta did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. This is the second time this year the EU Commission has found Meta in breach of its laws. In April, the Commission found Meta failed to prevent children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram. Meta has also faced scrutiny in the U.S. for failing to protect young users. Recently, Meta said in a court filing that four U.S. states are seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties over claims that it designed Facebook and Instagram to addict young users and misled the public about platform safety.