EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of addictive design

European Union regulators have officially accused Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, of not doing enough to protect users from the negative effects of its platforms' design. They believe these designs can be addictive and harm people's mental and physical health.

The European Commission stated that features like videos that start playing automatically and an endless feed of content encourage users to enter a state of 'autopilot'. This, they say, can lead to unhealthy habits and a compulsive need to keep using the services.

A significant concern for the commission is how Meta handles the time children spend on its apps. Despite available information showing children using Instagram and Facebook late at night, the company is accused of not adequately addressing how features like reels and stories might encourage excessive or compulsive use among young people.

The commission believes this addictive design breaches the EU's Digital Services Act. This law is designed to protect people online from various harms, such as scams, false information, and illegal content. It seems Meta's practices may have broken these rules.

A Meta spokesperson responded, stating they disagree with the commission's preliminary findings. They argued that the findings do not properly recognise the steps taken to protect teenagers, such as the introduction of 'Teen Accounts' which offer automatic protections and give parents control over screen time. They mentioned that these accounts can limit daily usage to just 15 minutes and block access at night.

This accusation is part of a larger investigation into Meta, which started in May 2024. Officials are also examining issues like the 'rabbit hole' effect, where algorithms might show young users harmful content, such as unrealistic body images. Additionally, Meta is being investigated for allegedly breaking EU law and its own rules by not preventing children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram.

The EU wants Meta to make changes to its platforms. This could include stopping features like autoplay and infinite scroll from being the default settings, encouraging users to take breaks, and modifying algorithms to show less personalised content. If found guilty, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its annual global turnover.