EU: Instagram and Facebook May Violate Digital Services Act Over Addictive Design

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TL;DR

The European Commission says Meta’s Instagram and Facebook may violate the Digital Services Act by using design features that encourage excessive engagement, including infinite scroll, autoplay, and more.

If the Commission’s preliminary findings are upheld, Meta could be required to redesign key parts of both apps in Europe.

Meta can still challenge the findings before a final ruling is issued, but if found non-compliant, it could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Social media apps have become incredibly good at convincing us to stay “just a little longer.” You might unlock your phone to reply to a message, open Instagram for a quick look, and suddenly find yourself scrolling through posts you never intended to see. According to European regulators, that’s not simply a matter of weak self-control — it’s the result of deliberate app design.

The European Commission has found that Meta may be in breach of the Digital Services Act over the way Facebook and Instagram keep people engaged. If the company fails to address those concerns, it could be required to redesign key parts of both apps in Europe and reportedly face fines of up to $12 billion.