The European Commission just told Meta what parents have been saying for years: your platforms are designed to keep kids glued to their screens. And now there’s a regulatory price tag attached.
On June 23, the Commission released preliminary findings accusing Meta of deploying design practices across Facebook and Instagram that effectively make the platforms addictive, with children bearing the brunt of the harm. The investigation, conducted under the EU’s Digital Services Act, found that Meta has failed to adequately prevent users under 13 from accessing its services, with an estimated 10-12% of EU children in that age group reportedly active on the platforms.
What the EU actually found
The Commission issued similar concerns back in April 2026, flagging Meta’s age verification gaps and the addictive nature of its platform design. Formal proceedings against the company actually began in 2024, making this a multi-year effort to force one of the world’s largest social media companies to take child safety seriously.
The core accusation is straightforward. Meta’s platforms are built around engagement mechanics that can trigger behavioral addictions in minors. Think infinite scrolling, algorithmic content feeds that learn exactly what keeps a teenager watching for “just five more minutes,” and notification systems engineered to pull users back.
