EU charges Meta for Digital Services Act breach over design

The European Union charged Meta Platforms on Friday, July 10, 2026, with breaching its landmark Digital Services Act, alleging that Facebook and Instagram are designed with addictive features that fail to protect users, particularly children. The preliminary findings from a two-year investigation could lead to fines of up to 6% of the company's global annual revenue unless it makes significant design changes.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, stated that Meta failed to adequately assess the risks posed by features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and highly personalized recommendation algorithms. Regulators argue these elements create an endless stream of content that encourages compulsive and prolonged use, negatively impacting the physical and mental well-being of minors and other vulnerable groups. The Commission also criticized Meta's existing mitigation tools, saying time-management features can be easily dismissed and parental controls require too much technical knowledge, time, and effort to use effectively.

In response to the charges, Meta expressed disagreement. A company spokesperson said the preliminary findings do not accurately reflect the significant...