Logo of Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook. Tony Avelar/AP The American company Meta must modify the "addictive design" of Facebook and Instagram or it will be subject to a large fine, the European Union warned this Friday (10). Brussels accused the American technology giant of failing to limit the risks the platforms pose to users, especially children and vulnerable adults, due to features designed to hold their attention for as long as possible. If the European regulator's findings on Meta are confirmed, the EU could impose a fine of up to 6% of the company's global annual turnover. "Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms," ??Henna Virkkunen, vice-president of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, said in a statement.
European Union demands that Meta changes Facebook and Instagram's 'addictive design'
Logo of Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook. Tony Avelar/AP The American company Meta must modify the "addictive design" of Facebook and Instagram or it will be subject to a large fine, the European Union...
In recent months, the EU has stepped up its efforts to force big tech companies to better protect users, in particular children. In a preliminary opinion released this Friday, the European Commission stated that it "considers that Meta should implement design changes on both Instagram and Facebook", after concluding that the platforms violated European content standards. Changes could include "disabling key addictive features like autoplay and infinite scrolling, implementing effective screen time breaks, and adapting its recommendation system to be less oriented toward driving engagement," he added. Meta expressed disagreement with the conclusions, but stated that it will continue to "collaborate constructively" with the bloc. A senior EU official insisted that Brussels does not intend to punish companies. "We want to achieve change, and if we can achieve it through compromises, we will be very satisfied," the source said. Inadequate tools These conclusions are released just days before a panel of experts, commissioned by the European Commission, presents on Monday (13) recommendations so that the bloc can better protect children from inappropriate content on the internet. The EU issued a similar warning to TikTok in February this year, telling the company it must change its design or risk large fines. However, the authority consulted highlighted that there is a "slight difference" in relation to TikTok, as "Meta has always sought to address the protection of minors on the internet". In its opinion, Brussels noted that Facebook and Instagram's time management tools can be easily deactivated, while parental controls are only effective if parents have certain technical knowledge. The EU started its investigation into the Target in 2024 based on the Digital Services Act. This legislation is one of the main tools adopted by the EU in recent years to curb what Brussels describes as the excesses of big technology companies. *This report is being updated
