European Commission Orders Meta to Change Addictive Features on Facebook and Instagram
The European Commission issued a preliminary order on July 10 directing Meta Platforms to modify several features on Facebook and Instagram that regulators say contribute to compulsive use. The order targets highly personalized recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll, practices the commission says encourage extended and passive engagement. Meta can respond before the commission issues a final, binding decision.
Why the Commission Acted
Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), large online platforms must assess and mitigate systemic risks to physical and mental well-being. The commission’s investigation concluded that Meta failed to adequately evaluate how its design choices affect users, including minors and vulnerable adults.
“These features fuel the user’s urge to keep scrolling and shift the brain into ‘autopilot mode,’ contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use,” the commission stated in its press release.
Investigators also found that Meta “disregarded available information about the time minors spend on Instagram or Facebook at night and how the optimization of its different formats, such as reels and stories, could lead to excessive or compulsive use of the services.”
What Changes Has the Commission Demanded?
- Remove infinite scroll and autoplay.
- Introduce mandatory screen time breaks.
- Adjust recommendation algorithms to be “less engagement oriented.”
- Reassess the impact of push notifications and personalized recommendation systems.
The order is preliminary. Meta can present its case before the commission issues a final decision, after which compliance would be required within a set timeframe.
What Financial Penalty Does Meta Face?
If Meta does not comply with the final order, the company could face fines of up to 6 percent of its annual revenue. Based on 2025 earnings figures reported in the source material, that maximum penalty would be approximately $12 billion.
This action follows other DSA-related penalties in Europe. The commission previously fined Elon Musk’s X platform roughly $140 million and has accused TikTok of similar addictive design violations.
How Has Meta Responded?
Meta rejected the commission’s preliminary findings. “We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens,” a company spokesperson said.
Meta pointed to its Teen Accounts feature, which gives parents the option to block nighttime access for their children, as well as existing parental controls and time management tools. The commission argued that these measures do not address the underlying design of the platforms.
What Other Legal and Regulatory Pressure Does Meta Face?
Meta faces additional challenges outside Europe. The source article references more than 2,400 U.S. lawsuits related to the company’s allegedly addictive features. Earlier in 2026, Meta suffered court losses including a product liability trial in Los Angeles and a $375 million judgment in New Mexico over harms to children’s mental health and the enabling of child sexual exploitation.
At the federal level, the U.S. State Department has lobbied against the DSA, with senior officials describing it as “Orwellian censorship” and warning that it threatens free speech while unfairly targeting American companies.
What Happens Next?
The preliminary findings remain subject to further proceedings. If the order is upheld, Meta will need to implement the required changes within a specified period or risk the maximum fine. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has pushed for strict enforcement of the DSA, and similar actions against TikTok and X suggest the commission intends to use the regulation as a central tool for reshaping platform design across the bloc.
Sources
- RT, “EU targets Meta over ‘addictive’ Facebook and Instagram design,” July 11, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com, “EU pushing through with enforcement of censorship tool Digital Services Act,” January 28, 2025.
- ReclaimTheNet.org, “EU Fines Elon Musk’s X $140 Million Amid Free Speech Clash,” December 5, 2025.
- NaturalNews.com, “EU accuses TikTok of ‘addictive design’ under new digital censorship law,” February 9, 2026.
- RT, “TikTok, Meta, and YouTube sued in first-ever child addiction trial,” January 27, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com, coverage of U.S. State Department opposition to the DSA, 2025.