EU Orders Meta to Change Facebook, Instagram Features

The European Union has mandated that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, implement significant design changes to its platforms to mitigate the risks associated with addictive features, particularly for vulnerable users such as children and teenagers. This directive follows a preliminary investigation by the European Commission, which highlighted the need for modifications like disabling infinite scroll and autoplay features, and introducing screen time breaks.

The Commission's findings suggest that Meta could face fines of up to six percent of its total worldwide annual turnover if it does not comply. However, EU officials emphasize that the goal of the investigation is not punitive but rather to foster meaningful changes to enhance online safety.

Meta has expressed disagreement with the EU's conclusions, asserting that it has already taken steps to improve safety for young users, such as introducing teen accounts that allow parental controls. This development is part of the EU's broader initiative to regulate major technology companies and ensure the protection of children online.