EU to Escalate Meta Probe Into Addictive Design That Hooks Kids

The European Union is set to ramp up an investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. that alleges its products are addictive to children, as the bloc increases regulatory pressure on the U.S. social media company.

The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, is preparing to issue preliminary findings that accuse Meta’s Facebook and Instagram of using exploitative design techniques to keep young users hooked, according to people familiar with the matter. Regulators haven’t set a date for when the findings will be announced, the people said, asking not to be identified because the proceedings aren’t public.

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Meta didn’t respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the commission declined to comment.

The commission opened the probe in May 2024 under the Digital Services Act, or DSA, the bloc’s content moderation rulebook. The investigation listed several suspected breaches, including the allegation that Meta’s interfaces jeopardize children’s well-being through a “rabbit-hole effect” in which algorithms keep users’ attention with a constant stream of material.

Regulators are focusing on improving child safety online, seeking to force platforms to ensure minors do not access adult content and demanding more stringent age-gating. In a separate investigation, the commission in April accused the company of failing to keep young children off of its platforms.

The moves come as part of a global push to protect children from the harms of social networks as parents and lawmakers worry about online bullying. The UK and other countries are seeking a range of restrictions on children’s use of social media platforms in the wake of curbs Australia introduced last year. The commission is mulling similar measures, depending on the recommendations of an expert panel expected next month.

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In the U.S., Meta and other social media giants face thousands of lawsuits over similar claims that its products are addictive and causing a mental health crisis among teenagers. More than 1,300 school districts have filed complaints claiming that products like Instagram and Google’s YouTube are making school learning environments worse for students. Thousands of additional students, parents and other young adults have filed individual cases against the companies alleging harm.

The first of these cases went to trial in Los Angeles earlier this year and a jury found that Instagram and YouTube were liable for harming a 20-year-old woman’s mental health; the companies had to collectively pay the woman $6 million.

The EU is seeking to use its regulatory authority rather than the courts to target social media. Preliminary findings are the second formal step in a DSA investigation. Meta will be able to defend itself from the charges and propose potential remedies to address the commission’s concerns. Failing that, the company could face a fine of as much as 6% of annual global sales.

The first two fines levied under the law were €120 million ($138 million) against Elon Musk’s X in December and €200 million against Chinese e-commerce giant Temu last month. X has appealed the fine.

Top photo: The European Commission is preparing to issue preliminary findings that accuse Meta’s Facebook and Instagram of using exploitative design techniques. Bloomberg.