Meta faces significant financial penalties from the European Union unless it modifies what regulators describe as 'addictive' design elements within its popular platforms, Facebook and Instagram. The European Commission has issued preliminary findings, asserting that features such as infinite scroll, automatically playing videos, and personalised content recommendations could foster 'compulsive use', particularly among children and teenagers.
Should Meta fail to implement satisfactory changes, the tech giant could be subjected to fines amounting to as much as 6% of its total global annual turnover. The Commission's findings suggest that the continuous stream of content available on these platforms can 'shift the brain into autopilot mode', potentially leading to unhealthy digital habits. A primary concern for the EU is the potential adverse impact social media platforms may have on the well-being of younger users.
Henna Virkkunen, the EU's tech chief, emphasised the importance of protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans, stating it must be a priority for social media platforms. The Commission's assessment also criticises Meta for allegedly not adequately evaluating the risks associated with the design of Facebook and Instagram, nor the amount of time children spend on these platforms, especially during night-time hours. Features like Reels and Stories were specifically mentioned as potentially contributing to excessive use, with regulators arguing that Meta's current safeguards are insufficient.
Furthermore, the Commission scrutinised Meta's existing time-management tools and parental controls. It suggests that time-management features, even those enabled by default for teenagers, can be easily bypassed and do not effectively reduce usage. Parental controls were also deemed to be effective only if parents possess the necessary time and technical understanding to properly implement and manage them. Meta, however, has countered these claims, stating it has introduced 'Teen Accounts' designed to automatically protect young users and empower parents with controls, including the ability to block Instagram access at night and set daily screen time limits to 15 minutes.
These preliminary findings are not yet a final verdict. Meta now has the opportunity to review the evidence presented against it and formally respond to the Commission's concerns. This development follows increased efforts by the EU in recent months to compel major technology companies to enhance online user protection, with a particular focus on safeguarding children. The findings also precede recommendations expected from an expert panel tasked with proposing new measures to shield children from harmful online content, with some EU countries, including France, advocating for social media bans for minors, mirroring restrictions seen in Australia for under-16s.