EU says ‘addictive’ features on Instagram and Facebook breach its rules

Bloc says some design features on platforms built by Meta can cause users’ brains to go into ‘autopilot mode’.

The European Union has accused the parent company of Instagram and Facebook of designing both platforms to be “addictive”, warning that it could face hefty fines if it continues to breach the bloc’s tech rules.

On Friday, the European Commission published preliminary findings of its two-year-long investigation into Meta, saying the company was in breach of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). It called on Meta to implement several design changes to curb “compulsive use”.

The EU alleged that Meta had failed to adequately assess the risks Instagram and Facebook pose to users’ physical and mental health.

Politicians worldwide have been examining ways to clamp down on social media in recent years because of concerns about its impact on young users’ mental health. Several studies have concluded that social media use can harm young people’s wellbeing, contributing to anxiety and depression.

The bloc cited autoplay videos, personalised recommendations and infinite scrolling as features that cause users’ brains to shift into “autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use”. It said Meta must disable “key addictive features” if it is to comply with the rules.

The commission called on Meta to amend the default settings on Instagram and Facebook to disable infinite scrolling and video autoplay. It also said the platforms’ algorithms should provide users with less personalised content.

Fabrizio Esposito, an associate professor of private law at NOVA School of Law in Lisbon, told Al Jazeera that the situation is problematic for Meta because the violations “strike at the heart” of its business model.

“Meta needs from its own point of view to try to come up with a better business model or defend this one in front of every enforcement initiative as long as it can.

“When it loses and it is forced to change its business model, the consequences will be very significant in terms of turnover,” Esposito said.

Meta has disagreed with the findings of the EU’s investigation, arguing that it has already taken protective measures.

“We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens,” Meta spokesperson Ben Walters said.

The EU could fine Meta, which can respond before the bloc’s final decision in a few months, up to six percent of its annual turnover.