The European Commission has formally accused Meta of violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) by designing Facebook and Instagram with mechanisms that encourage compulsive, prolonged use. At the center of the investigation are infinite scroll, video autoplay, constant push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation algorithms, tools regulators say are built to maximize screen time without giving users meaningful ways to limit their exposure.
The case is part of a broader crackdown on what officials describe as the 'addictive design' of social media, a concept the European Union is moving to regulate under the banner of consumer protection, with particular concern for minors. The DSA requires very large online platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks their products pose to users' mental health and well-being, and Brussels believes Meta has fallen short of that obligation.
If the infringement is confirmed, Meta could face substantial financial penalties, calculated as a percentage of its global annual revenue, a figure that in prior cases under the same regulation has reached billions of dollars. The company would likely need to overhaul core elements of the user experience across both platforms, removing or altering features that are now deeply embedded in how millions of people consume content every day.
It remains unconfirmed exactly what changes Meta might implement or on what timeline, though a corporate response is reportedly being negotiated ahead of a final ruling. The company has not announced any concrete product modifications so far, but the regulatory process in Europe continues to move forward and could set a precedent for how social platforms are designed worldwide.
This development adds to a growing list of actions the European Union has taken against major tech companies under the DSA framework, which aims to enforce greater transparency and accountability over the psychological and social impact of the world's most widely used digital platforms.