EU finds that Meta breached bloc’s rules with its social network interfaces

The European Union has tentatively found that Meta Platforms Inc. breached the bloc’s DSA tech industry law.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, published its conclusions today.

The DSA, or Digital Services Act, is a piece of legislation that went into effect in early 2024. It prohibits tech giants from using interface design tactics that can make consumers addicted to their platforms. EU officials believe that Meta ran afoul of that rule with Facebook and Instagram.

The European Commission has taken issue with the two social networks’ content recommendation features. In particular, officials pointed to feed personalization settings that make users more likely to continue browsing. They also raised concerns about Meta’s infinite scroll and video autoplay features.

The EU’s findings are the product of a probe that kicked off shortly after the DSA went into effect. The investigation placed particular emphasis on the impact of Meta’s interface design choices on minors.

The company provides teen accounts that ask users to stop browsing Facebook and Instagram after one hour of daily use. Additionally, the accounts mute notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. According to the EU, those settings “do not lead to a meaningful reduction” in social media use because they can be easily disabled.

Meta provides a tool that enables parents to apply stricter settings to teen accounts. In particular, the feature can disable Facebook and Instagram access after a daily use limit is reached. The EU found Meta’s controls to be lackluster because they’re “only effective if parents and guardians possess adequate technical expertise.”

Officials also flagged several other issues during the investigation. According to the EU, Meta disregarded information about the way its interface design practices factor into excessive social media use. Additionally, the European Commission found the mental health resources that Meta provides via its Safety Center portal to be lackluster.

The company could face a fine equal to up to 6% of its annual revenue if the EU confirms its preliminary findings. In addition, the European Commission has signaled that it will require Meta to change some of its interface components. The Facebook parent has the option to challenge the findings.

Meta told CNBC that “we disagree with these preliminary findings, which don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens.”

The company also faces a second EU probe over its practices in the social media market. Its terms of service specify that children under the age of 13 may not access Facebook and Instagram. In April, EU officials tentatively found that Meta doesn’t enforce the rule effectively. The decision could lead to a fine and an order requiring the company to implement stricter controls.

Image: Unsplash