Key takeaway: Meta has insufficiently analyzed the health and well-being risks of addictive design on Instagram and Facebook and has not taken effective action against it, according to the Commission.
The European Commission has issued a preliminary procedural outcome against Meta: Instagram and Facebook violate the Digital Services Act through their design mechanics. The focus is on infinite scrolling, auto-play, push notifications and personalized recommendation systems.
The European Commission has opened preliminary proceedings against Meta, accusing Instagram and Facebook of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA). At the core of the allegations are design elements such as unlimited scrolling, automatic video playback, push notifications and the highly personalized recommendation systems of both platforms.
The Commission’s investigation shows that Meta has inadequately assessed the health risks of these design mechanics – particularly for the physical and mental health of users, minors and vulnerable adults. Furthermore, the evidence shows that Meta’s previous protective measures were not suitable to effectively mitigate the risks of addictive design.
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen emphasized that protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms. The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for addictive design and its consequences. The Commission is determined to enforce its legislation in Europe.
Source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu · Published 10 July 2026
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