EU Commission: Facebook, Instagram Addictive Design Violates Law

The European Commission has preliminarily concluded that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is likely violating the EU's Digital Services Act. The commission's initial findings, released Friday, point to the addictive design of Meta's social media platforms as being contrary to EU legislation.

Commission officials highlighted features such as endless feeds, auto-playing videos, notifications, and highly personalized recommendations. They stated these elements encourage users to continue scrolling and engage in "mindless browsing," contributing to unhealthy and compulsive usage patterns. The Digital Services Act, which came into effect in 2023, mandates platforms to combat illegal content, disinformation, and other societal risks.

Meta's extensive investigation began in May 2024, focusing partly on the protection of minors. The commission's preliminary findings indicate Meta has disregarded information about the extent of time minors spend on its platforms at night. Furthermore, Meta has not adequately assessed how features like Reels and Stories might lead to excessive or compulsive use. The commission deems Meta's current protective measures insufficient, noting that tools designed to limit usage time are easily bypassed and do not significantly reduce engagement.

For instance, Facebook offers a "quiet mode" and a "daily time limit" for users aged 13-17, which mutes notifications from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and reminds young users to close the app after an hour of use. Similar time-limit settings are available on Instagram. However, the commission believes these parental controls are only effective if parents possess the necessary technical skills and dedicate time to understanding the platform's features. Meta has the opportunity to review the commission's evidence and respond to these preliminary findings. If violations are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

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These features further encourage the user to continue scrolling [through the social media feed] and put the brain on 'autopilot.' The features contribute to unhealthy behavior and compulsive use.