The European Union's regulatory body in Brussels has issued a formal warning to Meta Platforms, Inc., stating that the infinite scroll design features on its Instagram and Facebook platforms may violate the bloc's new digital content regulations. Regulators are intensifying their scrutiny of the negative impacts social media platforms have on minors.
On Friday, the European Commission released preliminary findings from its investigation, concluding that Meta has failed to adequately assess and effectively mitigate the risks posed by addictive features on its platforms. The Commission stated that such designs can harm the physical and mental health of users, particularly children and teenagers.
This warning comes amid a growing global backlash against major technology firms and the social issues associated with online platforms.
In March, a landmark lawsuit in the United States held Meta responsible, with the court finding that product designs on platforms like Instagram were deliberately engineered to foster addiction in children. Concurrently, an increasing number of countries are implementing or advancing legislation to ban social media use for individuals under the age of 16.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to release a report on Monday from an expert panel focused on online child safety. Several European nations have already called on Brussels to enact a ban on social media use for minors.
The EU has demanded that Meta implement product changes to Instagram and Facebook. These required modifications include disabling autoplay and infinite scroll features and introducing an effective time-management system that genuinely enforces breaks from usage.
The EU pointed out that Meta's existing time-limit tools, including a dedicated teen mode, are "too easy for users to circumvent" and fail to effectively reduce or manage time spent on the platforms.
EU Digital Affairs Commissioner Hanna Vainikainen emphasized that "protecting the physical and mental well-being of Europeans is a primary responsibility for social media platforms."
Meta responded on Friday, stating it disagrees with the Commission's findings. The company argued that the report "fails to objectively consider the extensive range of protective measures we have already implemented for teenagers."
In February, the EU issued a similar warning to TikTok, also citing addictive design features. The investigation into TikTok remains ongoing.
Furthermore, in April, the EU penalized Meta for allegedly failing to prevent children under the age of 13 from registering and using Facebook and Instagram.
This latest investigation is part of a series of enforcement actions under the EU's Digital Services Act. This legislation mandates that very large online platforms identify and manage systemic risks inherent in their products.
During the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, there was strong opposition to the EU's enforcement of the Digital Services Act, with critics arguing that the bloc's approach to online content regulation was excessively stringent.
If the preliminary finding of non-compliance is ultimately confirmed, Meta could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.
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