EU demands Facebook, Instagram dismantle design features it calls addictive for users
The European Union has accused Meta of violating the Digital Services Act by implementing addictive design features like infinite scrolling on Facebook and Instagram. The EU is demanding changes to these features, warning that Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.
Why it matters
This represents a major regulatory push to hold big tech companies accountable for the psychological impact of their platform designs on users, particularly minors.
The European Union accused Meta on Friday (July 10, 2026) of breaching its social media law by designing Facebook and Instagram to get users hooked, and demanded it disable “key addictive features” like infinite scrolling.
The EU's executive arm issued a fresh set of charges against Meta Platforms as part of its investigation under the 27-nation bloc's strict digital rule book known as the Digital Services Act. The sweeping set of regulations from Brussels requires tech platforms to protect internet users under threat of hefty fines.
The European Commission said Meta failed to properly assess the risks its design features pose to the physical and mental health of users, including minors. And while the company has tools and controls to help manage Facebook and Instagram use, it said they were easily overridden, dismissed, or technically challenging to use.
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