Government Issues Stern Warning: Defiance Will Result in Hefty Fines
Social media giants are facing pressure from governments worldwide regarding features and algorithms deemed to make children ‘addicted’. Additionally, negative content filtering systems on platforms are still considered suboptimal, adversely impacting children’s mental health. Several countries, including Indonesia, have already established or plan to enforce regulations prohibiting children under 16 from accessing social media.
The European Union has become one of the most assertive in pressuring social media platforms to provide a safe digital space for children. The EU has accused Meta (Facebook and Instagram) of violating the bloc’s technology rules. Regulators stated that Meta has features designed to make users addicted. The EU has asked Meta to immediately rectify these issues, for instance by removing the ‘autoplay’ and ‘infinite scroll’ designs, or face fines.
These preliminary findings by the European Commission are the result of a two-year investigation under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which requires large-scale online platforms to make greater efforts to tackle illegal and harmful content. The European Commission said Meta failed to adequately assess the addiction risks posed by highly personalised recommendations, autoplay, and infinite scroll, which continuously feed users new content and encourage prolonged engagement. It was noted that Reels and Stories on Facebook and Instagram can contribute to excessive or compulsive use.
Regulators criticised Meta’s measures to mitigate these risks, stating that time management tools can be easily ignored, while parental controls require significant time, effort, and technical knowledge to use effectively. The European Commission assessed that Meta should remove features like autoplay and infinite scroll by default, introduce effective screen-time breaks, and create recommendation systems that do not focus on keeping users continuously engaged with content.
Meta claimed it has already made maximum efforts. “We disagree with these preliminary findings, which do not accurately account for the significant steps we have taken to protect teens,” said Meta spokesperson Ben Walters. “Since this investigation began, we have launched Teen Accounts that automatically protect teens and give parents control, allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and limit daily screen time to just 15 minutes,” Walters added. Meta further stated it will continue to engage constructively with EU regulators.
“Our preliminary view is, based on our findings, this design is too addictive and needs to be changed,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told Reuters. “The next stage is whether Meta will change the design of its apps or a decision on non-compliance will follow,” she added. Meta, which risks fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, can respond to the accusations before the European Commission issues a final decision in the coming months. Last month, the company failed in its bid to dismiss claims from 29 US state attorneys general that Facebook and Instagram make children addicted.
The EU’s accusations against Meta mirror those filed against TikTok in February 2026, when regulators demanded similar changes to its app. The European Commission is separately investigating the ‘rabbit hole effect’ caused by Facebook and Instagram’s recommendation systems, where users can be drawn into prolonged viewing by algorithmic recommendations pushing them towards similar content. In another case announced in April 2026, the European Commission ordered Meta to do more to prevent children under 13 from accessing its social networks or risk fines. The European Commission is scheduled to receive findings from experts this week, which could help pave the way for a Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers. The final decision is expected to be announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her state of the union address next September.