EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’
The European Commission has accused Meta of violating the Digital Services Act by using addictive design features like infinite scroll and video autoplay. Regulators argue these features negatively impact the mental health of users, particularly minors.
Why it matters
This represents a significant regulatory challenge to the business models of major social media platforms regarding user safety and digital addiction.
The commission said features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll ‘shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use’. The commission said features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll ‘shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use’. Meta EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’ Regulators say Facebook and Instagram features such as autoplay and infinite scroll contribute to ‘compulsive use’
The article reports on official EU charges while providing Meta's previous defense, maintaining a balanced perspective.
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