The European Commission has warned that Meta’s design choices on Facebook and Instagram may violate the European Union’s Digital Services Act after a preliminary investigation found that several core features encourage excessive use and fail to protect users, especially minors and vulnerable adults.
The findings focus on features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation systems that keep users engaged for long periods without meaningful limits.
The European Commission said its investigation found that Meta did not properly assess how these design choices affect users’ physical and mental well-being. Officials also said the company failed to fully consider evidence showing how teenagers spend long hours on Instagram and Facebook at night, while formats such as Reels and Stories encourage compulsive use through continuous recommendations.
“These features fuel the user’s urge to keep scrolling and shift the brain into ‘autopilot mode,’ contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use. Moreover, Meta disregarded available information about the time minors spend on Instagram or Facebook at night and how the optimisation of its different formats, such as reels and stories, could lead to excessive or compulsive use of the services.”
Commission wants design changes
The Commission also questioned whether Meta’s current safety measures actually reduce screen time. According to the preliminary findings, users can easily dismiss time management reminders, while parental controls require significant technical knowledge and continued effort from parents to work effectively. Officials also said that links to mental health resources do not sufficiently reduce the risks created by the platforms’ overall design.
The Commission believes Meta should disable features such as autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce more effective screen time breaks, and adjust its recommendation systems so they focus less on maximizing engagement.
Meta disagreed with the preliminary findings and said they do not reflect the steps the company has already taken to protect teenagers across its platforms. The company now has the opportunity to review the investigation documents and respond before the Commission reaches a final decision. If the preliminary conclusions are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6 percent of its global annual turnover under the Digital Services Act.
