Brussels advised Meta to make changes to its Facebook and Instagram products, saying their addictive nature was a violation of EU digital services law. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
July 10 (UPI) -- The "addictive design" of Meta's Facebook and Instagram platforms breaches EU digital law, Brussels said, with the European Commission warning the U.S. tech giant in a preliminary finding Friday that it could fine it as much as $12 billion.
The commission said in a news release that Meta needed to make changes including defeating default features it said were addictive, such as autoplay and "infinite scroll," and modifying the apps' recommendations to make them less about keeping users glued to their screens.
It said an investigation into the platforms showed Meta had failed to adequately take into account the dangers its addictive designs posed to the physical and mental health of users, including children and at-risk adults.
Meta's existing safeguards did not go far enough to mitigate those risks, including time management controls that could be easily side-stepped and did little to reduce time spent on the platforms and bring usage under control, the commission said.
