The European Union has warned Meta to redesign features on Facebook and Instagram that it says encourage excessive use, particularly among children and vulnerable users, or risk a hefty financial penalty.
In preliminary findings, the European Commission said the platforms’ design—including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos and highly personalised content feeds—fails to adequately reduce the risks associated with compulsive social media use.
The EU wants Meta to introduce changes such as disabling autoplay and endless scrolling by default, improving screen-time reminders and adjusting its recommendation systems to prioritise user wellbeing over engagement.
Meta rejected the findings but said it would continue working with EU regulators. The company argued it has introduced measures to protect young users, including Teen Accounts that allow parents to restrict nighttime access and set daily screen-time limits.
If the Commission’s findings are upheld, Meta could face a fine of up to six per cent of its global annual revenue under the Digital Services Act.
The investigation, launched in 2024, is also examining whether Meta has done enough to prevent children under 13 from accessing its platforms and whether its recommendation algorithms expose users to increasingly extreme content.