The EU has accused Meta of violating the Digital Services Act by designing addictive features into Facebook and Instagram, demanding changes to elements like infinite scrolling and autoplay. Regulators argue Meta's current screen time tools are ineffective, especially for minors, while Meta disputes these claims and highlights its existing protections.
EU's Preliminary Findings
The European Union has accused Meta Platforms of breaching its Digital Services Act by designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive, demanding changes to features like infinite scrolling and autoplay. The European Commission issued preliminary findings on Friday, concluding that Meta failed to adequately assess the risks posed by these design elements, particularly to minors and vulnerable users. The regulator criticized Meta's existing tools for managing screen time, stating they are easily overridden or too complex to use effectively. The Commission has ordered Meta to disable features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default and introduce more effective screen-time breaks.
Meta's Defense and Potential Penalties
Meta disputes the findings, arguing that it has already implemented measures to protect teens, including Teen Accounts with parental controls and screen-time limits. The company faces potential fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue if the Commission's final decision upholds the charges.