The European Commission has found that Meta has breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) with the design of its Instagram and Facebook platforms, which are addictive. The Commission stated on Friday that the probe covers infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and personalised recommendation systems.
According to the Commission's findings, Meta has not properly assessed the risks of such design to the physical and mental well-being of users, including minors and vulnerable adults. The features that constantly present new content to users, the Commission states, encourage the urge to keep scrolling and contribute to the compulsive use of the platforms.
The Commission claims that Meta has ignored available information on the time minors spend on Instagram and Facebook at night.
The Commission considers the existing safeguards to be ineffective. Time management tools, including those automatically activated for teenagers, are easily bypassed and do not significantly reduce service usage. Parental controls, the Commission believes, are only effective if parents have the necessary technical knowledge, and the advice in a separate 'safety centre' does not sufficiently mitigate the risk of addiction.
The Commission, at this stage, considers that Meta should change the design of both platforms. This includes disabling autoplay and infinite scroll by default, implementing effective screen breaks, and a recommendation system less focused on user engagement. The statement highlights that the preliminary findings do not prejudge the outcome of the proceedings.
Meta can now review the investigation file and respond in writing to the findings. A consultation with the European Digital Services Board will take place in parallel. If the Commission's position is upheld, a decision on non-compliance and a fine of up to 6 per cent of the company's global turnover is possible.
The formal procedure against Meta was launched on 16 May 2024. In the course of the same procedure, the Commission issued preliminary findings on age verification measures for users under 13 on 29 April 2026, and continues to investigate the so-called 'rabbit hole', where recommendation systems can exploit the vulnerability and inexperience of minors.
