The European Union has declared that Meta’s design for Facebook and Instagram is addictive and unlawful. The European Commission began investigating Meta in May 2024 over concerns about addiction and safety for minors. It found that Meta did not properly assess how features like infinite scroll, autoplay, stories, and reels harm users’ mental and physical health.
Meta introduced “Teen Accounts,” allowing parents to limit their children’s screen time to 15 minutes a day and block nighttime access. Despite this, the European Commission said these controls are ineffective. Teens can easily dismiss time management tools. Also, parents need technical skills and time to use them properly.
The EU is pushing Meta to make major design changes. These include disabling autoplay and infinite scroll by default. They also want Meta to adopt “screen time breaks” to reduce compulsive use. So far, Meta has the option to challenge these findings and review the investigation’s files.
If the EU confirms the violations, Meta could face fines up to 6 percent of its total annual turnover. This is a large amount given Meta’s market value of about $1.5 trillion. The EU plans to announce formal restrictions on children’s use of social media as early as this summer.
Growing Global Pressure on Social Media Safety
The EU isn’t alone in its crackdown. Australia banned children under 16 from social media. Several EU countries, including Denmark and Greece, have called for similar bans. Some European capitals have passed their own laws, though Brussels asked France to revise its draft.
A panel in Germany proposed setting a minimum age of 13 for social media users or restricting harmful features. The EU may ban specific harmful functions rather than block entire platforms. Ursula von der Leyen, the EU chief, supports these restrictions and aims to make a formal announcement in September.
Public opinion backs these moves. A survey of over 5,100 adults showed 75 percent want platforms to stay off-limits to minors until proven safe. Many want harmful features like endless scroll and personalized content feeds removed. The EU insists platforms must prove their products are safe before children can use them.
Meta Faces Huge Legal Battles in the United States
Meta is also under fire in the US. Four states—California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey—are suing Meta. They accuse the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict young users while misleading the public. Meta revealed it could face penalties up to $1.4 trillion, based on the number of young users affected.
The trial is set for August 2026 in Oakland, California, before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Meta denies the allegations, saying “social media addiction” is not a recognized psychiatric condition. The company’s lawyers called the proposed penalty unprecedented in consumer protection cases.
Meta also faces lawsuits from 29 other states alleging it broke the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. These lawsuits claim Meta collected data from children without parental consent. Some cases will go to trial as late as February 2027. Meanwhile, juries have already ruled against Meta in some cases, including a $375 million award by New Mexico and a $27 million settlement with a Kentucky school district.
Ongoing Challenges Beyond Addiction
Meta is also dealing with another serious issue. The Indian government ordered Meta to remove child sexual abuse content within seven days. Meta says it uses advanced AI to detect violating content and individuals. The company admits criminals try to evade detection across its 3.5 billion users. Meta called child exploitation a “horrific crime” and said it runs proactive technology to catch harmful ads.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in India is examining the case. Officials warned that if Meta fails to act, the company will be held accountable for ads that generate revenue. This adds another layer of pressure on Meta to clean up its platforms and protect vulnerable users worldwide.
Both the EU and the US are raising the bar on platform responsibility. The message is clear: social media companies must stop harmful designs and safeguard children. The coming months will be critical for Meta as legal and regulatory decisions shape the future of social media safety.
Based on
- EU says Facebook and Instagram’s ‘addictive’ design is illegal — engadget.com
- EU moves closer to kicking kids off social media — france24.com
- Meta Is Facing $1.4 Trillion In State Lawsuits Over Social Media Addiction — engadget.com
- Mark Zuckerberg’s biggest legal nightmare yet could cost Meta $1.4 trillion | The Independent — independent.co.uk
- India gives Meta week to remove child sexual abuse content from Instagram | The Independent — independent.co.uk
