Brussels Demands Meta Redesign Instagram, Facebook for Addictive Design

Brussels is demanding changes to the design of Instagram and Facebook, accusing Meta of creating addictive platforms that harm user well-being. The European Commission's investigation has zeroed in on features such as infinite scroll, automatic video playback, constant notifications, and highly personalized recommendation systems.

The Commission asserts that these elements breach the Digital Services Act (DSA). "Meta has not adequately assessed the risks of its design for the physical and mental well-being of users, including minors and vulnerable groups," the EU executive stated. It contends that features like infinite scroll and hyper-personalized recommendations foster "unhealthy habits and compulsive use" of Meta's applications.

Furthermore, Commission officials concluded that Mark Zuckerberg's tech giant "ignored available information on the time minors spend on Instagram or Facebook at night and on how the optimization of its different formats – reels and stories – could lead to compulsive use of its services." Brussels suggests that Meta should disable addictive features by default, implement "effective time-out periods," and adjust recommendation systems to be less interaction-driven.

These preliminary findings are not final, and Meta has the right to present its defense. However, if the current findings are confirmed, the Commission could impose fines up to 6% of Meta's global annual turnover and mandate the requested design changes. This action follows similar concerns raised about TikTok's addictive design elements, highlighting a broader regulatory push against tech companies' platform designs.