The European Commission has preliminarily found that Meta violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) through the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook. The investigation centers on features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation systems that regulators say keep users hooked, often at the cost of their mental and physical health.
This is not a final ruling. Meta now has the right to review the Commission’s findings, access the investigation files, and respond in writing. The European Board for Digital Services will also be consulted before any decision is made. But if the preliminary findings hold up, Meta could face a fine of up to 6% of its total worldwide annual revenue.
The Commission launched its formal DSA investigation into Meta back in May 2024. This latest development is the result of a lengthy process that included analysis of Meta’s own internal documents and risk assessments, responses to multiple information requests, a review of scientific research on behavioral addiction, and direct interviews with experts in the field.
At the heart of the Commission’s concern is a straightforward accusation: Meta knew its platforms were designed in ways that encourage compulsive use, and it did not do enough about it. Features like autoplay and infinite scroll are specifically flagged for constantly feeding users new content, which regulators say pushes people into what they describe as ‘autopilot mode’ and fuels unhealthy usage habits.
The findings around minors are particularly pointed. The Commission says Meta had access to data showing how long teenagers were using Instagram and Facebook late at night, and that it understood how formats like Reels and Stories could drive excessive use. Regulators argue Meta chose not to act on that information in any meaningful way.
Meta’s existing safety tools also came under scrutiny. The Commission’s assessment is that they largely fall short:
- Time management tools, including those switched on by default for teens, can be dismissed too easily and don’t meaningfully reduce usage
- Parental controls only work if parents have enough technical knowledge and time to figure them out, which regulators say undermines their value
- Awareness-raising features like mental health tips and links to a separate ‘safety centre’ page are not considered sufficient to offset the risks built into the platforms’ design
What the Commission is asking for goes beyond surface-level fixes. Regulators want Meta to make structural changes to both platforms, including disabling autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introducing effective screen time breaks, and reworking recommendation systems to make them less focused on keeping users engaged at all costs.
This case fits into a broader push by European regulators to hold large platforms accountable for the real-world effects of their product choices. The DSA, which came into force for very large platforms in 2023, was designed specifically to create legal accountability for harms that previously existed in a regulatory grey area. Addictive design is one of those areas where consumer advocates and researchers have raised alarms for years, but platforms faced little formal pressure to change.
It is also worth noting this investigation covers more than just addictive design. A separate strand of the same proceedings, with preliminary findings adopted in April 2026, focuses on whether Meta’s age verification measures for users under 13 are adequate. The Commission is also continuing a related investigation into so-called ‘rabbit hole’ effects, where Facebook and Instagram recommendation systems may be pushing younger users toward increasingly extreme or harmful content.
For Meta, the stakes are significant. A 6% global revenue fine would amount to billions of dollars. But beyond the financial risk, a formal non-compliance decision would likely increase pressure on the company to make product changes that could affect how its platforms work for hundreds of millions of users across Europe.