EU threatens Meta with fines over 'addictive' Facebook and Instagram
Image: BBC News
Brussels is drawing a line in the sand with Meta — change how Facebook and Instagram hook you, or pay a bill that could run into the billions.
The European Commission said in preliminary findings that features like infinite scroll, autoplaying videos and personalised recommendations encourage "compulsive use," especially among children and teens. If Meta doesn't fix it, the fine could reach 6% of its global annual turnover.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said "protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority." The Commission argues the endless content stream "shifts the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits."
Brussels is especially concerned about Reels and Stories, saying Meta's safeguards "do not go far enough." It also criticised time-management tools and parental controls as easy to dismiss and hard for busy parents to use.
Meta pushed back, telling the BBC it "disagreed" with findings that "don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens."
The ruling signals a broader global crackdown on engagement-at-all-costs design. For Meta, the choice is stark: redesign the feed or hand over a slice of its revenue.