The European Commission is raising concerns that the design elements of Instagram and Facebook may breach the EU's Digital Services Act. Features like infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and constant notifications are believed to contribute to users' difficulty in disengaging from the apps. In response, the Commission is advocating for these features to be disabled by default, the implementation of mandatory reminders for breaks, and a redesign of recommendation algorithms to lessen their influence. Meta has countered by stating that the Commission's conclusions fail to acknowledge the substantial measures it has put in place to safeguard teenagers, such as the introduction of Teen Accounts. The company has a few months to assess the Commission's findings and submit a response before a final ruling is issued. Should the regulators determine a violation has occurred, Meta could face penalties amounting to as much as 6% of its annual global revenue, which could translate to approximately $12 billion. Earlier this year, the Commission also issued a preliminary finding against TikTok for similar reasons related to addictive design features, with a final decision on that matter still pending.
Informational material. 18+.