European Commission accuses: Facebook and Instagram, platforms that create addiction

The European Commission claims, according to a press release, that Meta has designed its Facebook and Instagram platforms in such a way as to transform users' attention into a resource exploited to the point of addiction, to the detriment of the physical and mental health of millions of Europeans. The allegations come after the Commission's experts issued the preliminary conclusions of an investigation carried out under the Digital Services Act (DSA). If the accusations are confirmed at the end of the procedure, the American group risks not only one of the largest financial sanctions ever applied to a company in the technology sector, but also the obligation to radically modify the mechanisms underlying its business model.

For the first time, the European Executive explicitly states that elements previously considered simple tools to increase user engagement are, in reality, mechanisms for inducing and maintaining compulsive behavior. Infinite scrolling of content, automatic video playback (autoplay), the avalanche of notifications and algorithms that obsessively personalize the flow of information are no longer seen as just technological functions, but as tools that determine the user to spend more and more time on the platform, without realizing how much they consume or how difficult it is for them to stop. According to the Commission, these mechanisms push users into a state of "autopilot", in which control over their own digital behavior is diminished, and excessive use becomes a systemic risk. Brussels considers that Meta has failed to fulfill its legal obligation to assess and limit the effects that its own services have on the health of users, especially on children, adolescents and vulnerable people. The investigation shows that the company did not properly analyze the impact of hyper-personalized recommendations, videos that start automatically or endlessly scroll content, nor did it take into account information on the time spent by minors on Facebook and Instagram at night or how formats such as Reels and Stories stimulate compulsive use.

The measures invoked by Meta to protect users have not convinced the European authorities either. The tools to limit the time spent on the platform, including those activated by default for teenagers, are considered almost useless because they can be deactivated immediately and do not really reduce the use of the services. Parental controls are considered insufficient, as their effectiveness depends on the level of technical training of parents and the time they can dedicate to monitoring their children. In addition, recommendations on mental health and references to safety pages are considered simple information measures, unable to compensate for the effects of a design built to constantly capture attention.

Beyond the fine, which could reach up to 6% of Meta's global annual turnover, the consequences could be much deeper. In terms of the group's revenues, such a penalty could mean billions of dollars. But the truly major impact is the possibility that Meta will be forced to eliminate or implicitly disable the very features that generate the majority of users' time spent on the platforms and, implicitly, a significant part of the revenues obtained from digital advertising. The European Commission is already indicating the direction in which the changes should go: autoplay and infinite scroll disabled by default, the introduction of real and effective user breaks and modifying the algorithms so that they no longer aim exclusively to maximize the degree of user engagement.

The legal stakes are huge. If, after Meta has exercised its rights of defense and consulted the European Digital Services Council, the Commission adopts a final decision of non-compliance, the company will not only have to pay the fine. It will be obliged to comply with the measures imposed by the European authorities, and failure to comply with them may lead to new sanctions under the mechanisms provided for by the Digital Services Act. For Meta, the process no longer concerns just a dispute with Brussels, but the very sustainability of an economic model built for almost two decades on maximizing user attention. The investigation, which began in May 2024, is based on the analysis of Meta's internal documents, risk assessment reports, data provided by the company, numerous scientific studies and the opinions of experts in the field of behavioral addiction. In parallel, the Commission continues to investigate the efficiency of the mechanisms by which Meta verifies the age of users under 13, as well as the "rabbit hole" phenomenon, through which algorithms lead users, especially minors, to an increasingly intense and captivating consumption of content.

The message sent by Brussels is an unprecedented one: if until now digital platforms were accused of exploiting personal data, from now on they are accused of exploiting the psychological vulnerabilities of their own users. And if the European Executive confirms its preliminary conclusions, Meta could become the first major technology company obliged not only to pay billions for violating European law, but also to fundamentally redesign its products that have made Facebook and Instagram the most profitable social networks in the world.