TLDR
- The EU charged Meta with breaching Digital Services Act rules over addictive features on Facebook and Instagram.
- Regulators are targeting autoplay, infinite scroll, and highly personalised feeds.
- Meta faces a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if it does not comply.
- Meta disagreed with the findings but said it would engage constructively with the EU.
- A final EU decision is expected in the coming months, with a Europe-wide teen social media ban also being considered.
The European Commission on Friday issued preliminary charges against Meta Platforms over the design of Facebook and Instagram, warning the company to make changes or face a heavy fine.
The EU accused Meta of using addictive design and disregarding the risks it poses to children, as the bloc ramps up an investigation into the US social media company https://t.co/ggWCd5zvut
— Bloomberg (@business) July 10, 2026
The charges follow a two-year investigation under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires large platforms to address illegal and harmful content.
Regulators say Meta failed to properly assess the risks posed by features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and highly personalised recommendation systems. The EU says these features encourage prolonged use and can lead to compulsive behaviour, especially among younger users.
The Commission wants Meta to disable autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce effective screen-time breaks, and make its recommendation system less focused on driving engagement.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen was direct about the situation. “Our starting point is that, based on our findings, this design is too addictive and changes need to be made,” she told Reuters. “The next step is either that Meta changes its design or a non-compliance decision will follow.”
Meta’s stock (META) was in focus Friday as investors weighed the potential financial hit. The company faces a fine of up to 6% of its total global annual revenue if the charges are confirmed in a final decision.
Meta Pushes Back
Meta rejected the EU’s preliminary findings. Spokesperson Ben Walters said the findings “don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens.”
The company pointed to its Teen Accounts feature, rolled out since the investigation began, which allows parents to block Instagram access at night and cap daily screen time at 15 minutes.
Meta said it will continue to engage constructively with EU regulators before a final decision is issued.
The EU charges mirror those already brought against TikTok in February, when regulators made similar demands. A senior EU official noted there is a “slight difference” with Meta, acknowledging the company has made some efforts on minor protection.
Wider Regulatory Pressure
This is not Meta’s only active EU case. In April, the Commission accused the company of failing to prevent children under 13 from accessing Facebook and Instagram. A separate investigation into so-called “rabbit hole” algorithmic effects on both platforms is also ongoing.
Across the Atlantic, Meta recently failed to dismiss claims by 29 US state attorneys general that Facebook and Instagram are addictive to children.
An expert panel is set to deliver recommendations to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, which could lay the groundwork for a Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers. Von der Leyen is expected to address the matter in her September state of the union speech.
France and other EU member states have been pushing for a bloc-wide ban on social media for minors, following Australia’s ban for users under 16.
Meta can respond to the charges before the Commission issues its final ruling in the coming months.
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