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Meta ordered by EU to redesign Facebook and Instagram to stop addictive features
The European Commission concluded that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook use design elements such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and hyper‑personalised recommendation algorithms that encourage compulsive use, especially among minors. In preliminary findings under the Digital Services Act, the Commission demanded that Meta disable these features by default, introduce screen‑time breaks and retune its recommendation system, warning that a breach could lead to a fine of up to 6 % of the company’s worldwide annual turnover – roughly $12 billion.
Meta has rejected the preliminary conclusions, saying it has already introduced teen‑account tools, night‑time blocks and daily‑screen‑time limits, and argues that the Commission’s assessment does not fully take those measures into account. The EU action follows parallel legal pressure in the United States, where several states have filed lawsuits seeking trillions of dollars in penalties over similar accusations that the platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive.
If the Commission’s final decision confirms the breach, Meta will face one of the largest regulatory fines ever imposed on a tech company, while also having to make substantial changes to the user‑experience of its flagship social‑media services.