The European Union is preparing to intensify its investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. over allegations that its products are causing addiction in children. This move signals a further escalation of regulatory pressure on the American social media giant by the EU.
According to individuals familiar with the matter, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, is preparing to issue preliminary findings. These findings will allege that Meta's Facebook and Instagram use manipulative design techniques to keep young users hooked. The sources requested anonymity as the process is not yet public, adding that the regulator has not finalized a specific date for announcing the findings.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the European Commission declined to comment.
The Commission initiated this investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA) in May 2024. The probe listed several alleged infringements, including the charge that Meta's interface design harms children's mental and physical health through a "rabbit hole" effect. This refers to algorithms using a continuous stream of content to keep users engaged.
EU regulators are currently focused on enhancing online safety for children. Their efforts aim to force platforms to ensure minors cannot access adult content and to implement stricter age verification. In a separate investigation in April, the Commission had accused Meta of failing to adequately prevent young children from using its platforms.
These regulatory actions are part of a global push to protect children from the potential harms of social networks. Following restrictions introduced in Australia last year, the United Kingdom and other nations are also seeking to impose various limits on children's use of social media platforms. The European Commission is also considering similar measures, with specific actions expected to depend on recommendations from an expert panel due next month.
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